FDA Expands Booster Shot Eligibility to People 18 and Older - Implications for Cruise Industry

[AspiringCruisePlanner]

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-expands-eligibility-covid-19-vaccine-boosters

The CDC is meeting today to finalize their recommendation.

With the rising rate of breakthrough cases, this couldn't come a moment too soon.

I think that it would be a significant challenge for cruise lines to manage instituting requirements for booster shots.  However, the farther along we go the greater the likelihood in rise of onboard cases and transmission due to the steady reduction in efficacy of the vaccine over time.  Requiring boosters within a certain time frame (after 2nd dose) would significantly reduce the likelihood of increased cases occurring onboard cruise ships.  I guess we'll have to wait and see whether people make this choice on their own.

[MaryCS62]

On 11/19/2021 at 12:13 PM, AspiringCruisePlanner said:

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/coronavirus-covid-19-update-fda-expands-eligibility-covid-19-vaccine-boosters

The CDC is meeting today to finalize their recommendation.

With the rising rate of breakthrough cases, this couldn't come a moment too soon.

I think that it would be a significant challenge for cruise lines to manage instituting requirements for booster shots.  However, the farther along we go the greater the likelihood in rise of onboard cases and transmission due to the steady reduction in efficacy of the vaccine over time.  Requiring boosters within a certain time frame (after 2nd dose) would significantly reduce the likelihood of increased cases occurring onboard cruise ships.  I guess we'll have to wait and see whether people make this choice on their own.

it's also difficult, because your booster is not recommended til 6 months after your 2nd vaccine (for Pfizer/Moderna) or 2 months after J&J.  I was vaccinated late December last year (very early, as I work in a hospital & although not a requirement at the time, I wanted to protect my family), so 2nd shot in January -- I got my booster as soon as I could (mid October). DH & older DD (DH as "home health aide" and DD as immunocompromised young adult) were both vaxxed by end of March, so also got boosters as soon as they could (late October). Younger DD was J&J in April, so we got her boostered as well.  

However, if you didn't get vaxxed til July or August, you can't get boostered yet, so it means having them do a 6 month count from when the person's 2nd shot was, & that sounds like a pain to do -- plus, not many people are going to jump on the "6 months today, let me get my booster" wagon

[AspiringCruisePlanner]

9 minutes ago, MaryCS62 said:

However, if you didn't get vaxxed til July or August, you can't get boostered yet, so it means having them do a 6 month count from when the person's 2nd shot was, & that sounds like a pain to do -- plus, not many people are going to jump on the "6 months today, let me get my booster" wagon

Agreed, there's quite a few complications that would occur trying to manage mandates for booster shots by the cruise line or any other port of call, which is promising for those people who decide not to get a booster.  What is concerning is that without a larger percentage of people boosted this Spring and Summer, it can be expected to see higher and higher infection rates aboard cruise ships unless the testing protocols are capturing all COVID positive cases (not really possible due to the inherent false negative rates of these tests and the incubation time for the virus before a positive test result can be reported).

The only thing the cruise lines can really do at this point is mitigate risk of infection by continuing their current protocols until infection rates (or possibly hospitalization and death rates with the help of new antiviral drugs) have consistently been close to zero.  Until this happens, they really don't have any choice to reduce protocols without risking major PR hits when outbreaks aboard ships take place.

If everyone had the basic understanding of vaccination risks and benefits - both individual and community - (it's not even close how far the scale tips to one side) this virus would have had its butt kicked many months ago.  It just shows in my home state of Minnesota.  The overwhelming number of cases within this last few months have come from those in rural areas with vaccination rates lower than 60%.  People who are making the decision not to vaccinate "for their own health" are really making it worse for everyone.  It's like getting into a car with someone who doesn't put their seatbelt on.  They are putting themselves at risk mostly, but they also put everyone else in the car at risk if there is an accident and they turn into a human projectile.

Human behavior is a double edged sword for businesses, including cruise lines.

[twangster]

2 hours ago, MaryCS62 said:

plus, not many people are going to jump on the "6 months today, let me get my booster" wagon

I was six months in October.  Booster appt booked for as soon as I get back into the country.

[Strife]

I am unsure if RC will require a booster for sailing. I hope not though who knows.

[JSB_Z51]

Have any of you done bloodwork to determine if your booster was necessary or just going by recommended CDC timelines?

[MaryCS62]

1 hour ago, JSB_Z51 said:

Have any of you done bloodwork to determine if your booster was necessary or just going by recommended CDC timelines?

Following guidelines, as I was one of the earliest vaccinated (9 months after the 2nd when I got my booster), because of CDC studies indicating waning antibody levels after 6 months. I also am older, though not over 65, & have other pre-existing conditions, so I wasn't taking any chances. Also have 2 daughters who live with me who have autoimmune diseases, so not sure how well they responded to their own vaccines, and want to make sure they are protected as well.

[AspiringCruisePlanner]

1 hour ago, JSB_Z51 said:

Have any of you done bloodwork to determine if your booster was necessary or just going by recommended CDC timelines?

Good question that I was wondering myself.  However, antibody level tests have not proven to be strong indication of disease protection.  Check out the NPR article below.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2021/08/28/1031287076/antibody-tests-should-not-be-your-go-to-for-checking-covid-immunity

I've heard people talking about whether cruise lines would start accepting antibody screenings in lieu of vaccination proof.  The article plainly describes that this is not a viable option at this point.

The CDC guidance for booster shots came from empirical research comparing the efficacy of the mRNA vaccines over a several months as well as safety data from clinical trials and vaccine side effects reporting systems.  Research showed that there was gradual but significant waning of efficacy for all age groups in the months following the second dose.  Interestingly, the efficacy waning was most significant for those younger than 65.  They also discussed the safety results pertaining to booster shots from clinical trials and the nationwide vaccine side effect reporting systems to ensure the benefits of this booster outweigh the risks of adverse effects.  They put together a very constructive presentation highlighting all these details (link below).

https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/acip/meetings/downloads/slides-2021-11-19/06-COVID-Oliver-508.pdf

I know most people don't have the interest to do this level of research on vaccines, but the more that myths about these vaccines get snuffed out by people who've done their research the faster we can get back to normal. Including cruising without tests or masks!