KF Tours

Yesterday I did a webinar with the former US Food and Drug Commissioner who now works with Norwegian Cruise Lines. He is optimistic with the "pandemic phase of COVID" is coming to a close. Here are some of his comments during the interview:

Former U.S. Food & Drug Administration Commissioner and cruise industry health consultant Dr. Scott Gottlieb has offered a wave of optimism for the cruise industry and the travel advisors who fill its ships.

In a webinar with Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Frank Del Rio today, Gottlieb said he believes the voracious Omicron variant is already peaking, and the next two to three weeks will likely show a rapid decline in cases.

Gottlieb also made a strong case that the pandemic phase of the COVID-19 virus is nearing an end.

“I think the future is going to look a lot different than the past. This may well be the last major wave of infection,” said Gottlieb, who heads up NCLH’s SailSafe Global Health and Wellness Council.
Gottlieb says the Omicron variant that has raged throughout the world for the past two months, “is peaking right now.” Infections are dropping quickly in places where Omicron hit hard first, including South Africa, the UK and even early-outbreak states in the U.S.

“By February, we’ll be way down the epidemic curve and when we get into the spring I would expect prevalence will be very low,” Gottlieb added.

As Omicron declines, Gottlieb says a combination of “a significant wall of immunity” through vaccination and illness, robust testing and increased access to powerful therapeutics, will very likely see COVID-19 “fade into the background of our daily lives.”

I, myself, certainly hope he is right and that we can get back to a somewhat normal life.....I hope everyone is continuing to be healthy and safe!!

What COVID-19 vaccinations are recognized abroad? A guide for Canadian travellers (exert from CTV News Article)

TRAVELLING TO THE U.S.
While the U.S. land border remains closed to Canadians, you can fly to the U.S. pending proof of a negative molecular or antigen COVID-19 test taken no more than three days before your flight.

There are currently no vaccination requirements in place for Canadian visitors to the U.S. But those with mixed doses could eventually find themselves in a pickle thanks to the country’s stance on mixing and matching

“Only people who have received all recommended doses of an FDA-authorized or WHO-listed COVID-19 vaccine are considered fully vaccinated for the purpose of public health guidance,” a U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) spokesperson told CTVNews.ca in an email.

“COVID-19 vaccines are not interchangeable; the safety and effectiveness of receiving two different COVID-19 vaccines has not been studied.”

Some cruise lines that dock in the U.S. – like Norwegian Cruise Line – have said they will not recognize international passengers who've mixed and matched vaccinations.

Princess Cruise Lines guests who have received a vector vaccine, including AstraZeneca, as their first dose, followed by an mRNA vaccine "will not be considered fully vaccinated." However, the company will allow for passengers who received mixed mRNA vaccine doses, such as Pfizer and Moderna.

Holland America Line and Carnival Cruise Line also currently have similar policies in place.

Keep in mind that proof of vaccination may be required for certain activities within the U.S., including concert venues and sporting events. All 41 Broadway theatres in New York City will require proof of vaccination for all performances through the month of October.

CARIBBEAN DESTINATIONS
Mixed vaccinations won’t be a problem for Canadian travellers heading to popular destinations like Jamaica – which considers anyone with two doses of a World Health Organization (WHO) recognized vaccine to be fully vaccinated – or Cuba and the Dominican Republic, which are not making any distinction between vaccinated or unvaccinated travellers.

But the issue has already caused confusion for those headed to Barbados, which reversed its policy to recognize travellers with mixed doses on July 15.

Trinidad and Tobago’s policy is also limiting for those with mixed vaccines.

“For 2-dose series COVID-19 vaccines, passengers must have received 2 doses of the same vaccine OR the first dose of the AstraZeneca vaccine followed by the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine,” reads the country’s travel requirements.

“Passengers with any other combination of vaccines would NOT be considered fully vaccinated, at this time.”

EUROPEAN DESTINATIONS
Canadians who have been vaccinated with one or more doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine may run into another issue when travelling to Europe.

While the European Union has approved Vaxzevria, the European-manufactured version of AstraZeneca, it has not authorized COVISHIELD, the Indian-made version of the same vaccine that some 80,000 Canadians have received at least one dose of.

Because of this, countries like Italy, Portugal, Poland and Germany do not recognize COVISHIELD, preventing Canadians who received the vaccine from taking advantage of privileges offered to fully vaccinated travellers, such as being exempt from quarantine.

Luckily, a growing number of European countries have recently accepted the COVIDSHIELD vaccine, including Austria, Spain and France.

The United Kingdom also recognizes COVISHIELD. However, fully vaccinated Canadians travelling to the region still must quarantine no matter what type of vaccine they have, unlike American visitors.

No matter where you plan on travelling, be sure to read the fine print of the travel requirements for the country you plan on visiting, as each country differs in terms of vaccination and testing requirements. Most countries list this information on a government website under coronavirus information and entry requirements.

What vaccines are and aren’t recognized is also likely to change regularly as countries approve new vaccines and more data is collected on the efficacy of mixing and matching vaccines.