CDC, no longer tracks C-19 cases for Cruise Ships!
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is no longer reporting the coronavirus levels on ships.
On its website’s cruise-ship guidance page, the CDC says,
its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is “no longer in effect and this page will no longer be updated.”
Tweet on the latest from CDC on Cruise lines
Center for Disease Control and Prevention @cdc is no longer reporting the coronavirus levels on ships!
On its website’s cruise-ship guidance page, the CDC says its COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is “no longer in effect and this page will no longer be updated”#cruise #tourism pic.twitter.com/F6ZgO0kLta— The_Journalbiz (@the_journalbiz) July 20, 2022
The CDC still advises cruise passengers that the “virus that causes COVID-19 spreads easily between people in close quarters on board ships.” It also notes that if “you have a medical condition or are taking medication that weakens your immune system,” you should talk to your healthcare provider “about your risk before travel.” CDC says.
In a statement, CDC highlights that
“we determined that the cruise industry has access to the necessary tools … to prevent and mitigate COVID-19 on board.” The CDC also said it “will continue to publish cruise-specific guidance so cruise ships can continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for crew, passengers, and communities.”
The cruise industry is rebounding from the darkest days of the pandemic, when ships didn’t leave ports for months on end. In 2020, the industry saw annual passenger embarkations decline by 81%, according to the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), an industry trade group. Major cruise lines saw revenue declines in the billions of dollars.
But the tide is turning, so to speak: the CLIA says that nearly 100% of ships are expected to be in operation by August of this year.
Tweet by Norwegian Cruise line
Get in, cruiser… we're going to Nassau! #CruiseNorwegian pic.twitter.com/qNYIq9I15b
— Norwegian Cruise Line (@CruiseNorwegian) July 14, 2022
Cruise lines are still putting COVID-19 safety protocols in place for now — and requiring passengers to be vaccinated in many cases. The CDC notes that, “If you have questions about a cruise line’s specific policies, please contact them directly.”
Meanwhile,
U.S. COVID-19 cases are climbing again, largely driven by the BA.5 omicron subvariant. The daily average for new U.S. cases stood at 129,938 on Sunday, according to a New York Times tracker
