Covid tech leaves the elderly all at sea
MY WIFE Linda and I have just returned from a cruise, having had three holidays in a row cancelled through 2020. The Greek islands were wonderful, but the Covid travel arrangements required in the weeks leading up to a cruise, and before disembarkation, do necessitate considerable time on the internet. I spent a good few hours online making sure all my paperwork was in order, filling in forms, uploading documents, downloading documents and generally double-checking I’d done everything correctly. I am reasonably keyboardsavvy so, while I found it tedious and frustrating at times, I managed to sort it all out. I certainly understand the need for these precautions. Speaking to people on the ship, however, it was clear that the generation above me (those in their 80s) found the whole process difficult and stressful. They don’t generally live online or on smartphones and probably know more about the Enigma Code than a QR code. I witnessed some in considerable distress trying to fill out the Passenger Locator Form (PLF) on board, ready for departure through the airport, and my wife and I tried to help out where we could. I spoke to an elderly gent in the lift who had been in tears trying to complete his PLF. And we saw an 83-year-old woman at the airport who was nearly at breaking point because she couldn’t access the QR code on her phone for her Antigen test and therefore couldn’t get through check-in. Some nice young people swarmed in to help her. I don’t know if she managed to get through, but it was heart-wrenching to see her in such a state. My wife and I will cruise again because we enjoy it and hopefully the rules will relax soon, but I lost count of the number of times I heard ‘never again’. The elderly are the largest demographic on many cruise ships and they are often charming people and lovely company. It would be a great shame if they gave up on cruising, which I suspect some will, because they struggle with this detailed online form-filling, which also requires dexterity with a smartphone. As one old lady at the computer terminal said: ‘Just give me a quill and a piece of paper and I’ll be fine.’
CHRIS HOAD, Loughborough, Leics.