Covid positive- now what?

[Seamama]

Scheduled to cruise in about 3 weeks but a few in our household recently tested positive (at home) for Covid. First time for everyone- all mild cases. All fully vaxxed and everyone is improving daily. Booked after the "temporary flexible rescheduling" option, but got the "cancel for any reason" insurance. We really want to go but also will do what is right.

My concern is that some people keep testing positive even once recovered. Looks like in the past you just needed an official PCR diagnosis in writing along w/ a letter from a medical doctor. Does that still work? I don't want to bother get to Vancouver only to get turned away. If we have to cancel, I'd rather do it while still home.

Also, I know pre-trip testing isn't required but what are the questions at the port? I heard they ask about whether you have Covid-like symptoms but some of those (like loss of taste or smell) can last awhile, even when you're not contagious anymore. I assume if you answer "yes" then you get pulled aside for questions and an exam but would like to know more about what happens with that.

To be clear, we're not looking to cheat the system, just want to understand the process so we can make the most prudent and practical plan. Thanks.

 

[cvjw]

I caught covid on the 8 night Bermuda cruise on the fantasy. I was very sick from this latest strand of covid. But, I tested negative only 6 days later. With 3 weeks to go, there is an excellent chance everyone will be negative by then.

 

[darnheather]

Please follow the CDC or WHO guidelines for quarantining and masking. However, you should be fine to go on your trip.

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/isolation.html

 

[otten]

The BC Center for Disease Control says you should avoid people until you are fever free and feeling better. At three weeks out I think you’ll be fine by the time your cruise sails.

 

[DMMarla07860]

I tested Positive on my Back-2-Back Disney Wish cruise in April, well Dad tested positive on the ship I tested positive the day we got off took 12 days to test negative

 

[tvguy]

The thing you have to remember is, you aren't considered Negative, until you get a Negative PCR test. Not the home Antigen test. I was Negative for a week with the home test before I got a Negative PCR test. Took 3 weeks to get a negative PCR test.
I was hospitalized for something else so I was concerned about recovering in time. The medical staff in the hospital said the Home Test is what you take to determine if you need a PCR test and once you have Positive PCR test, a Negative home test is useless.

 

[Mommb]

I hope your family’s mild symptoms continue into a quick recovery.

The questions at the port are mostly about respiratory and digestive symptoms — I think they asked about cough, nausea, vomiting, and fever. As long as your family has tested negative for Covid and is feeling well, you should be fine. I do not recall questions about lack of taste or smell.

 

[Louise97]

Hope everyone feels better soon! If it helps, here's the questions currently asked on the pre-cruise health questionnaire: https://touringplans.com/blog/the-d...uestionnaire-one-last-thing-before-you-board/

They ask if anyone has tested positive in the last 10 days, at three weeks out you should be okay. We tested positive a few days after getting home from our last cruise, annoying after trying to convince my mother that going on holiday is perfectly safe! I guess we could have picked it up anywhere but there were a few others on the Facebook group for our sailing who tested positive too.

 

[Mommb]

Hope everyone feels better soon! If it helps, here's the questions currently asked on the pre-cruise health questionnaire: https://touringplans.com/blog/the-d...uestionnaire-one-last-thing-before-you-board/

Thanks for posting this. So they are asking about loss of taste and smell, but in the context of a recent (past 10 days) infection.

 

[Mango7100]

The thing you have to remember is, you aren't considered Negative, until you get a Negative PCR test. Not the home Antigen test. I was Negative for a week with the home test before I got a Negative PCR test. Took 3 weeks to get a negative PCR test.
I was hospitalized for something else so I was concerned about recovering in time. The medical staff in the hospital said the Home Test is what you take to determine if you need a PCR test and once you have Positive PCR test, a Negative home test is useless.

Not to stray too much into covid on here boards…That’s actually not true. You can be positive on PCR for weeks to sometimes even months after having a covid infection because PCR is specifically looking for viral genetic material which will be detectable for well after your contagious period is over. It does not correlate with contagiousness after recovering from covid, That is why it is specifically not recommended to retest with PCR and to use antigen tests to determine when you are allowed to end isolation and go mask free. That is part of the reason why if you tested positive for covid within 90 days before sailing when testing was going on you were exempt from resubmitting a PCR test—it may still be positive. It is true that PCR is more sensitive than at home antigen tests when initially diagnosing the infection.

OP—at 3 weeks out you should be fine to go unless someone takes Paxlovid and gets a rebound infection once they finish their course of meds.

 

[tvguy]

Not to stray too much into covid on here boards…That’s actually not true. You can be positive on PCR for weeks to sometimes even months after having a covid infection because PCR is specifically looking for viral genetic material which will be detectable for well after your contagious period is over. It does not correlate with contagiousness after recovering from covid, That is why it is specifically not recommended to retest with PCR and to use antigen tests to determine when you are allowed to end isolation and go mask free. That is part of the reason why if you tested positive for covid within 90 days before sailing when testing was going on you were exempt from resubmitting a PCR test—it may still be positive. It is true that PCR is more sensitive than at home antigen tests when initially diagnosing the infection.

OP—at 3 weeks out you should be fine to go unless someone takes Paxlovid and gets a rebound infection once they finish their course of meds.

Interesting. That was not what the Hospital told me. They required a negative PCR before I could even come in the building let along have my surgery.
HOWEVER, as my Rheumatologist, who was not a party to my surgery noted...."It will be 10 years before we even start to really understand what did and didn't work with Covid".

Oh, and the restriction of talking about Covid is no longer a rule on the DIS. That sticky was removed earlier this year, before the state of emergency was lifted in May.

 

[auntlynne]

If you have no problems following CDC guidelines, here us the information regarding your situation:


continued…

 

[auntlynne]

This gives you a reference to which you can point. Since many thought they were overly cautious, I would respond that this is the same source.

 

[sadiecatie]

I commend you for wanting to do the right thing and your concern over what that is. Three weeks is far more time than is even being recommended anymore for isolation - go on your cruise and enjoy! I hope your family is all feeling much better by your sail date and you can all just enjoy your trip.

 

[ladyofthetramp]

By CDC guidelines, 3 weeks is more than enough time. Have a great cruise!

 

[bigAWL]

Even when testing was required, Disney allowed for "recently recovered" guests to board without a negative test, if they could show a positive test taken between 11-90 days prior to sailing. The presumption was that you were sufficiently recovered and non-infectious after 10 days, but would potentially have trouble testing negative before 90.

 

[msmama]

I tested positive 3 weeks before my EBTA (b2b) last year (when they were still doing testing before boarding). While it was a stressful three weeks, it ended up being a blessing in disguise because I had my Doc note that said I was recovered and didn't have to test. So when everyone was stressing out in the terminal, we waltzed past with the other recently recovered folks, lol.

Anyway, for your piece of mind, I don't know if they still exist, but I did an online doctor appointment to get a piece of paper that specifically said I was recently recovered and may test positive still so don't test me. It was $75 per person, I spoke with a doc online and they emailed me the official paperwork I needed to give to Disney. Your own doctor might give you something too, which would be easier, but wasn't an option back in the deep darkness of Covid times.

Wishing everyone a quick recovery!!

 

[loislane]

I just went through my second round of covid after spending 4th of July weekend in WDW. Felt sick on a Wednesday overnight into Thursday morning, did a home test later that morning and it was *very* positive. Felt crummy that day - very mild fever (99.7 I think it was), congestion, cough, little bit of a headache. Friday I still felt crummy, but less than the day before. By Saturday morning, I felt fine but still had a little bit of a cough. By Sunday, I pretty much felt normal. I did take the 2nd test in the box either Saturday or Sunday (can't remember which day) and it was only very faintly positive - had to almost squint to see it - so I would guess that within a day or two at the most after that, it would've been negative.

So that's the long version of saying since those of you who are sick seem to be only mildly so and improving daily, you should be fine for your cruise in 3 weeks.

 

[otten]

View attachment 778867View attachment 778868
This gives you a reference to which you can point. Since many thought they were overly cautious, I would respond that this is the same source.

As the poster is sailing from Canada the CDC rules aren’t especially relevant.

View attachment 778867View attachment 778868
This gives you a reference to which you can point. Since many thought they were overly cautious, I would respond that this is the same source.

As the op is sailing from Canada it would probably be better if they used the Health Canada and BC CDC guidelines as a reference if one is needed.

 

[tvguy]

View attachment 778867View attachment 778868
This gives you a reference to which you can point. Since many thought they were overly cautious, I would respond that this is the same source.

The problem is, this doesn't specify if these results are from a (home) Antigen test or a PCR test. As noted upthread, there is a HUGE difference in sensitvity in the two tests.