Is it possible to travel responsibly (during a pandemic)?

[tridacna]

The bigger problem to us now is the large number of vaccine resistant folks who have refused to get regular vaccines (MMR etc) for their children over the past year. Those numbers are truly scary and will come back to bite us hard.

 

[tursiops]

I thought what the vaccine was proven to do was to prevent illness (symptoms)

Maybe the confusion is that the vaccines prevent SERIOUS illness, not all illness.

 

[Lorenzoid]

Maybe the confusion is that the vaccines prevent SERIOUS illness, not all illness.

Well, tridacna can correct me, but my interpretation of what I posted from the CDC site and what the authorities have been telling us in the news media is that we the public can think of breakthrough cases as those in which a vaccinated person shows some symptoms (illness), but "for the purpose of this surveillance," as the CDC put it, the CDC can only count positive antigen tests as data.

 

[tridacna]

Well, tridacna can correct me, but my interpretation of what I posted from the CDC site and what the authorities have been telling us in the news media is that we the public can think of breakthrough cases as those in which a vaccinated person shows some symptoms (illness), but "for the purpose of this surveillance," as the CDC put it, the CDC can only count positive antigen tests as data.

It's very confusing. I was vaccinated in late March. I'm now recovering from a chest infection which was initially accompanied by a 103F fever. I had a negative C19 test yesterday. Without that test, how would we know that wasn't a "mild" breakthrough case? In statistics, we can ONLY count positive or negative tests as data.

 

[tursiops]

the CDC can only count positive antigen tests as data

I think you mean antibody, not antigen.

Added: well. I guess it depends on when they are testing, and what they are testing for.
Antigen = do you have the active virus now?
Antibody = did you have a case of Covid-19 and are recovered?

 

[Lorenzoid]

I think you mean antibody, not antigen.

Added: well. I guess it depends on when they are testing, and what they are testing for.
Antigen = do you have the active virus now?
Antibody = did you have a case of Covid-19 and are recovered?

I don't mean anything because I know nothing! I'm just using the CDC's language from the page I linked to above: "For the purpose of this surveillance, a vaccine breakthrough infection is defined as the detection of SARS-CoV-2 RNA or antigen in a respiratory specimen collected from a person ≥14 days after they have completed all recommended doses of a U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized COVID-19 vaccine." So, detection of RNA or antigen is how the CDC defines a breakthrough case. I believe antigens are things that cause the immune system to produce antibodies.

 

[Darnold9999]

Wow - a series of rational posts on covid and vaccines. How refreshing!

 

[Hoag]

Ontario just came out of a "Stay at home Order" that has lasted more that 2 months. As of yesterday, the province took the first steps toward re-opening. I am scheduled to get my 2nd vaccination next Saturday, and while nothing is perfect, there is definitely light at the end of the tunnel.

I am hoping that be fore long, I will be able to trade this mask:

in for a mask more like this one:

 

[divinh]

I know a very small number of people manage to catch the virus despite being vaccinated. And of course your bunkmate on a cruise is the person you're most exposed to. Still... seems like quite a coincidence. I wonder if they were both really vaccinated.

The passengers and crew could be all vaccinated but it sounds like they're doing ports of call, which basically exposes them to unvaccinated persons.

Last year, the longest hospitalized person with Covid in San Francisco was finally released. In the story, they detailed that he and his wife had traveled to South Africa, UK, over three months, then back to the US. The husband was infected. The wife didn't and tested negative.

 

[Centrals]

The passengers and crew could be all vaccinated but it sounds like they're doing ports of call, which basically exposes them to unvaccinated persons.

There are far far more unvaccinated persons in the world.