My brother and his wife cruise constantly (at least 8-10 per year). They only got the vaccine when they realized it was the only way they’d be able to continue boarding ships. This afternoon I got this text from him:
This is the same pair I posted about at the start of the pandemic who returned from a Christmas cruise with SIL’s sister and husband who died a few weeks after that trip from what we know now was probably COVID contracted from that trip. 
My husband says the same thing. He will keep traveling to California every month… thank goodness no more UK trips in the near future.
We just returned last night from a 12 day trip to Spain where we visited Seville, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Zaragoza and Barcelona - it was wonderful. This was our 4th international trip this year and with significantly reduced crowds, it has never been a better time to travel.
I had my booster a few weeks before we left as an unvaxxed neighbor with Covid asked me to drive her to a pharmacy (1 hour each way) for the monoclonal antibody treatment. given the exposure and the fact I had to wait around the pharmacy for an hour with her, I decided to get the booster, although I had intended to hold off. DW and DS got their booster a day before we left, given how Omicron was spreading.
Mask compliance was very high throughout Spain both inside and out. We rarely wore masks outside, even in very large crowds and no one ever commented. Admittedly when we had to get the test to return home we were a bit nervous as we somewhat assumed we would have Omicron but we all tested negative. DW and I were quite happy to be stuck in Spain but we did want to get DS back home as uni starts for him on Monday.
I appreciate many disagree but I think the US should cancel the testing requirement…Omicron is so prevalent in the US now that I am not sure what is being accomplished by testing those entering the US…
So we cancelled our trip to Phuket, Thailand the day before we were to depart. Thailand imposed more restrictions and we would have had to get tested three times while over there. If you test positive, you go to the hospital and your family members quarantine in a hotel for two weeks. With omicron, it was just too risky, especially since my son needs to go back to college on 1/18. So we drove from NJ to Hilton Head Island instead. Not quite Phuket, but it will do.
Thailand has been on the list for DW and I throughout the pandemic. We took our son out of middle school years ago and spent six weeks there. I agree with you though, restrictions are too onerous to justify the trip at this stage.
To me, just because Omicron is prevalent isn’t a reason to drop testing/screening. Even if at best it is a deterrent or an encouragement for people to get vaccinated. People could be bringing new mutations. We really don’t have enough data on the long term effects of each variant, even if the current symptoms seem mild. So, if someone tests positive, let them wait until they are negative before bringing their illness to the US. JMO.
Also, doesn’t screening reduce the number of infectious people on the flight??
That seems like a major plus, if you are a passenger.
Not if you are the one screened off when you thought you were fine.
From looking at the filtration systems on the airplanes plus the mask requirement, it seems highly unlikely passengers will be passing Covid to one another. I think the recirculated/filtered air flows from ceiling to floor and is refreshed completely every few minutes.
Keep testing IMO. There are very few false positives and I prefer having fewer positive people in airports spreading it to others. If one travels, one needs to be prepared to quarantine. That’s the new normal. There are always road trips if one can’t change Plan A. Spreading it within one’s car or at quick rest stops is totally different than taking it to airports.
Real people die from others spreading Covid.
But we don’t have fewer positive people at airports; covid testing isn’t required for domestic flights. So one should assume there are many positive people at any terminal.
That’s what I would change if I were Grand Pumba.
Agreed, but it is what it is
And I wouldn’t take the “better” system out to exchange for the worse. I’d switch it the other way. Even if one couldn’t, I still wouldn’t ax the better system. Real lives are at stake from each positive person out there spreading Covid, even if the positive person is asymptomatic themselves. Waiting a few days is an inconvenience, but not deadly. Such is life with Covid.
As long as we’re theoretically changing things, I’d make it a crime for positive people, both tested (even if asymptomatic) and with suspected symptoms sans test, to be out shopping and otherwise interacting with the public too.
Take out or grocery pick up? Fine. Standing in line or near others? Not.
It should never be ok to knowingly spread what could be a dangerous disease to others.
I had to talk my husband out of attending a conference in Houston this weekend. He originally had his own hotel room but informed me yesterday that he was going to share a room with a friend whose son (who lives in the same household) had recently tested positive. While he later understood the risks of this decision and was going to keep his own room, he told me that he planned to drive to Houston with this same friend–a three plus hour drive! After I explained that this was actually closer contact/exposure to his friend, he decided not to go.
Well, I would change a lot of things if I would grand pumba, but since I am not, it is enough for me to recognize that all airports are full of both symptomatic and asymptomatic covid infected people, regardless of testing, and act accordingly. People can assess their own risk tolerance.
People always have to assess their own risk tolerance - even for swimming in the ocean, driving, or walking across the street.
That doesn’t mean we need to scrap something that can make things safer for others just because it isn’t perfect. It still makes things safer for others. In many airports the international terminal is different from the domestic one. That helps too.
If all humans cared about others there would be no need for laws, but if there’s one thing any world news or letters to the editor in newspapers will show, it’s that many people don’t give a hoot about anyone other than themselves.
I like to cruise but I really don’t understand why anyone would get on a cruise ship right now. You can get to the pier, test positive, and not be allowed on. You can test positive during the cruise and be forced to quarantine in a small room. You can be forced to quarantine just because you were near someone who tested positive. Entertainment is canceled if the cast is quarantined. Ports are canceling because they don’t want to let potentially positive passengers in. There are just too many things that can go wrong even if you are not concerned about the health risks.
We ended up cancelling our cruise. I will say the people who are currently on board are having a great time. The ship is uncrowded and shows are happening.
I hate Covid!
So glad I took my cruise during Thanksgiving. I do know someone currently on a cruise . Seems to be having a good time.