BAD CRUISE NEWS: CDC Extends Cruise Ship No Sail Order Through September 2020
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday extended its ban on passenger cruising from U.S. ports through Sept. 30, citing “ongoing” coronavirus outbreaks aboard ships.
As with the prior order announced in April, the current revision suspends passenger operations on cruise ships with a capacity to carry at least 250 passengers in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction. As before, the CDC said the order will remain in effect until the expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency, or the CDC director rescinds or modifies the order, or until September 30, 2020.
The CDC noted in its announcement that it supported the cruise industry’s June announcement to continue the pause in North American operations until September 15. CDC, however, said it has extended its order to “ensure that passenger operations on cruise ships do not resume prematurely.”
The CDC ignored the issues of the spread of the virus onshore instead choosing to say, “On cruise ships, passengers and crew share spaces that are more crowded than most urban settings. Even when only essential crew are on board, ongoing spread of COVID-19 still occurs.” The announcement went on to cite data from the CDC reporting nearly 3,000 COVID-19 or COVID-like illness cases on cruise ships since March, including 34 death. As of July 3, the CDC says that nine of the 49 ships under its current No Sail Order have ongoing or resolving outbreaks.
In the meantime, Europe which has been more successful in the mitigation of the virus is proceeding with reducing restrictions.
Cruising has resumed in Norway and on rivers in Europe and will soon resume with the German cruise lines offering short cruises without ports starting in late July and August. Similarly, the first cruises have been announced in Asia sailing from Taiwan.
Like the CDC, the British authorities last week announced that they felt people should continue to avoid cruising. It is unclear when the United States will be in a position to permit the resumption in cruising.
www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2020/s0716-cruise-ship-no-sail-order.html
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