KWofPerth

I'll pre-emptively just leave this here https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-25/pfizer-vaccine-misinformation-on-safety-myth-busted/13089550

Why is that?

Singapore is one of the best places I have ever visited. Completely clean and as you say, it feels so safe. I look forward to returning someday soon, hopefully for another cruise!

It also makes sense, given we have similar Covid levels to Singapore. There would be a lot more political and general resistance to the idea though, until we are well down the path of vaccine rollout.

Just an interesting little article quoting the CLIA Australia director. It looks like the industry is eyeing off a return to cruising out of Queensland first, with shorter, local voyages similar to what's been happening in Singapore with Quantum. https://www.news.com.au/travel/travel-updates/health-safety/cruise-industry-says-successful-asian-voyages-during-pandemic-show-they-are-covidsafe/news-story/1657023578a2178eec2b8e77a48962d3

None of the measures are 100% protective, but when you start layering them together, you increase the overall protection.

This might help explain the difference between preventing infection and preventing disease, and why the prevention of infection is not essential to an effective vaccine... https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-01-07/why-few-vaccines-prevent-infection/13037274

Because they weren't vaccinated?

Heart disease is the result of personal choices made consistently by an individual over several decades. Covid-19 is highly contagious and will take you out within a month, through no fault of your own.

I will defer to JeffB at this point, for his detailed explanation on the 5th page of this thread...

Covid19 is the disease that results from getting the coronavirus infection (SARS-Cov-2). At this stage it is unknown if being vaccinated prevents someone from spreading the infection. What is known is that it greatly reduces the likelihood of the virus progressing to the disease (Covid) stage.

I took issue with that post too, but chose not to respond at the time. At this point it is unknown whether the vaccine prevents transmission. I assume this is because there has not been enough time pass since its trials to make an accurate determination. The ongoing phase IV trial will presumably give us an answer to this. What we know that it does achieve, is provide a 95% likelihood of an infection not progressing to the covid19 disease. Apologies for my layman's description, JeffB and others feel free to tighten up some of my terminology and descriptions where appropriate.

"Don't believe me do a 5 min google search and find the truth your self." Truly a quote for our times.

No point arguing mate, she's "looked into it".

Thanks for the detailed response JeffB. This has answered some nagging queries I have had since Pfizer first announced its interim Phase III results. To summarise, we do not yet know if the vaccine will diminish an individual's ability to spread the virus, but in theory there is a strong likelihood that it will. And if so, this will reduce the virus' opportunities to replicate across the broader population, assuming we all take our shots.

OK, that makes sense actually. So what we don't know is if individuals can be asymptomatic spreaders before their immune system fights off the coronavirus that has just entered their system.

It could be a very LONG time before you cruise again, if ever.

Joe, do you have any insight into how long it will take to know whether a vaccine confers immunity from infection (as opposed to immunity from the disease once infected)? Or perhaps, how long until we know whether a vaccinated individual can still spread the virus if infected?

What chance of getting 50-60% of the US vaccinated?

The entire ship also returns to port. Cruise over for everyone I guess.

Was this decision based on the government hedging its bets with other vaccine candidates? i.e. Moderna, AstraZeneca, J&J, et al. So it may not be all bad.

This is a near certainty. It will have a similar impact on the virus to closing the borders, whilst allowing international travel. Win-win.

Vaccines are not foolproof. Even a 95% efficacy gives an individual a 5% chance of still catching something. So the more people that are vaccinated, the less chance of spreading something around. This is where the concept of herd immunity truly kicks in.

Think of each separate preventative measure as a slice of Swiss cheese. It has holes in it. But when you stack each separate slice together, the holes get covered. The more slices, the less holes and more protection.

Bring on the jabs!!