Coronavirus and Walt Disney World general discussion

[GoofGoof]

At my office they are requesting proof of vaccination or proof of covid positive results in the past 90 days. If you can't supply any of that, weekly testing is required. This seems not much different and what I expect most companies to follow.

"To prove natural immunity, an employee must have a positive PCR or antigen test for COVID-19 from a lab certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, plus a positive anitbody test. Both results must be from within the past 3 months."

I think that makes some sense. What happens after 90 days? So if I was unvaccinated and I got covid and tested positive today in 91 days do I need to go back to weekly testing?

 

[willtravel]

It is his opinion and many of his Hopkins associates have been loud in voicing their concern about some of the things he says. In face back in February he said we would reach herd immunity by April. Here’s a link to a article on things he has said over the last year and a half. Seems he changed his mind on many things once he started becoming a regular on a cable news show.

Redirect Notice

But I think that has been going on in the medical community for awhile (starting from the top) since this has started. There is no clear agreement on anything after a year and half and never will be. But I can see no doctor can have an opposite opinion

 

[GoofGoof]

Hopefully that means Disney is turning the corner on staffing issues, allowing more rooms to be in the pool. So long as the downward case and hospitalization trend continues, they should do the business prudent thing.

Thanks for redirecting my attention (and all of us). See my response above. If WDW management learned anything, it’s that a surge will cause people to “maybe rightfully” panic and cancel/postpone trips. Removing the last of COVID mitigations too soon will be a disaster. Some of the recent attendance lull could also be schools going back and the absence of international travel, as well as waiting out September for the 50th to kick up. But it has been exceptionally slow recently, and I can’t help but think Florida’s recent situation drove some of the attendance away, as well. If Disney can continue selling themselves as the safe place to enjoy a historic anniversary celebration and fall/winter holiday family vacation, there’s no reason they can’t close out 2021 with a financial win.

As for when we can see them make another go of masks optional everywhere, I’d hedge my bets on February or March assuming 5-11 gets EUA on vaccines by 11/1. Once parents have had a chance to protect all of their school-aged children, and hoping the nation at large can get to “moderate” on the CDC transmission scale, we might see an attitude shift against the complacency and just dealing with even indoor masks.

I can’t say for sure what will happen, but I can tell you from my visit in August that it was empty at WDW. I think it was a combination of people waiting for the 50th, people not wanting to wear masks indoors, people not wanting to go to FL when there were 20,000 cases a day and the southern schools going back. I do expect much larger crowds for the 50th. We felt really good about the trip from a covid perspective. Low crowds meant less waiting in lines and less people in general and we had no issue with the indoor mask requirements. It was a little bit of a drag not being able to go into some AC to cool off without a mask but we managed pretty well. Overall, Disney did a great job. Very impressed with the level of mask enforcement and impressed with the guests who all complied without any push back with 1 exception which was MK on a boo bash night.

I do think the 50th could be more of a problem. While we were there people who visited seemed to either accept wearing the masks or were happy to be doing it for safety. The boo bash night was the exception. There was a noticeable change in the crowd and not in a good way. I think it may be because people bought those tickets long before the mask rules were put back into place and so we’re not as willing to comply. The 50th could be more of the same. People who planned a visit for the festivities thinking that covid would be a thing of the past. If you combine massive crowds with frustrated people who don’t want to comply with rules it could be more contentious of an environment. I hope that’s not the case. People need to realize it’s still a pandemic and despite an anniversary people may have planned for a while the rules are the rules.

 

[Heppenheimer]

But I think that has been going on in the medical community for awhile (starting from the top) since this has started. There is no clear agreement on anything after a year and half and never will be. But I can see no doctor can have an opposite opinion

When your forum to express that opinion is Fox News, and not within medical circles, then that's a big red flag.

And there is quite a bit of agreement on much regarding the prrevention, mitigation and treatment of COVID... within the medical community. But that's not the audience Fox is reaching for, is it?

 

[Bullseye1967]

I can’t say for sure what will happen, but I can tell you from my visit in August that it was empty at WDW. I think it was a combination of people waiting for the 50th, people not wanting to wear masks indoors, people not wanting to go to FL when there were 20,000 cases a day and the southern schools going back. I do expect much larger crowds for the 50th. We felt really good about the trip from a covid perspective. Low crowds meant less waiting in lines and less people in general and we had no issue with the indoor mask requirements. It was a little bit of a drag not being able to go into some AC to cool off without a mask but we managed pretty well. Overall, Disney did a great job. Very impressed with the level of mask enforcement and impressed with the guests who all complied without any push back with 1 exception which was MK on a boo bash night.

I do think the 50th could be more of a problem. While we were there people who visited seemed to either accept wearing the masks or were happy to be doing it for safety. The boo bash night was the exception. There was a noticeable change in the crowd and not in a good way. I think it may be because people bought those tickets long before the mask rules were put back into place and so we’re not as willing to comply. The 50th could be more of the same. People who planned a visit for the festivities thinking that covid would be a thing of the past. If you combine massive crowds with frustrated people who don’t want to comply with rules it could be more contentious of an environment. I hope that’s not the case. People need to realize it’s still a pandemic and despite an anniversary people may have planned for a while the rules are the rules.

Let's not forget there are no international travelers in the parks presently.

 

[willtravel]

When your forum to express that opinion is Fox News, and not within medical circles, then that's a big red flag.

Now that is funny and sad you said that. I am sure you said the same when Fauci makes his way thru the other morning rag news shows and all the magazines.

 

[disneygeek90]

I think that makes some sense. What happens after 90 days? So if I was unvaccinated and I got covid and tested positive today in 91 days do I need to go back to weekly testing?

Yes that’s how our process is now. I have an unvaccinated coworker that tested positive around August 12. Not taking tests right now.

In the middle of November she’ll be required to show weekly test results (or get fully vaccinated and not have to do tests).

 

[GoofGoof]

Let's not forget there are no international travelers in the parks presently.

Yep, I forgot that one too.

 

[JoeCamel]

Let's not forget there are no international travelers in the parks presently.

Well no overseas, Canadians are here

 

[TrainsOfDisney]

Well no overseas, Canadians are here

There are probably a few international tourists... just not as many as usual. I have relatives from Germany who have visited the states recently.

 

[mmascari]

I think that makes some sense. What happens after 90 days? So if I was unvaccinated and I got covid and tested positive today in 91 days do I need to go back to weekly testing?

Yes that’s how our process is now. I have an unvaccinated coworker that tested positive around August 12. Not taking tests right now.

In the middle of November she’ll be required to show weekly test results (or get fully vaccinated and not have to do tests).

Couldn’t she just catch COVID again?

Just as good right?

Maybe hang out a lot in poorly ventilated space with other unvaccinated or volunteer at an ICU without PPE.

 

[JoeCamel]

There are probably a few international tourists... just not as many as usual. I have relatives from Germany who have visited the states recently.

HHN friend from the north landed at MCO today. They are coming. Not as many as usual but the pent up demand is huge

 

[Lilofan]

Now that is funny and sad you said that. I am sure you said the same when Fauci makes his way thru the other morning rag news shows and all the magazines.

Fauci supported by two administrations as opposed to Makary with his off base comment on the common cold/ Covid.

 

[FeelsSoGoodToBeBad]

And for those dealing with caring for a loved one at home. I've found this comic relatable about Scott's journey with his father after a stroke. At least relatable to me, my father in law passed from MS a number of years ago they're eerily relatable to the time right before.

Link to first one in series (it's still ongoing and not his normal comic):

PVP - 2021-06-15

I've read from the beginning until his most recent and have the page bookmarked. Thank you for sharing it; hopefully it'll bring a giggle, or at least some feeling of commiseration.

 

[DisneyCane]

At my office they are requesting proof of vaccination or proof of covid positive results in the past 90 days. If you can't supply any of that, weekly testing is required. This seems not much different and what I expect most companies to follow.

"To prove natural immunity, an employee must have a positive PCR or antigen test for COVID-19 from a lab certified under the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments of 1988, plus a positive anitbody test. Both results must be from within the past 3 months."

Why do they require both a positive PCR/antigen and antibody test? Shouldn't an antibody test alone be enough? I understand not going by just the PCR/antigen test due to false positives.

 

[GoofGoof]

Why do they require both a positive PCR/antigen and antibody test? Shouldn't an antibody test alone be enough? I understand not going by just the PCR/antigen test due to false positives.

Its a valid question, but that’s one of the few examples I’ve seen of anyone counting natural infection on par woth vaccination so better than nothing I guess.

 

[Nubs70]

Its a valid question, but that’s one of the few examples I’ve seen of anyone counting natural infection on par woth vaccination so better than nothing I guess.

I have an acquaintance that caught covid when it first came out. This individual religiously gives blood. 18 months later is still showing robust antigen content.

 

[LittleBuford]

Hospitals should be able to cap COVID capacity as a % of available beds, at least for the unvaccinated by choice.

That would be unethical and callous.

 

[JoeCamel]

I have an acquaintance that caught covid when it first came out. This individual religiously gives blood. 18 months later is still showing robust antigen content.

And I who had it 2/20 showed little in 7/20. Anecdotes just show there is no absolute with this crap so we react as circumstances warrant. There are no absolutes but we can do actions that shade our results to the positive side of the equation.

 

[GoofGoof]

I have an acquaintance that caught covid when it first came out. This individual religiously gives blood. 18 months later is still showing robust antigen content.

My guess is if they open the doors to allow exceptions for people who had natural covid they would at a minimum require a certain level of antibodies. If that’s the case it will be another whine fest where people will insist they had Covid and should get the exemption even if they show no or not enough anti-bodies. Who sets the level of anti-bodies needed? If we require a booster in the future would all those people need to get the booster in the future too or would there just be a time limit on natural immunity too?