The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Framework for Conditional Sailing Order that introduces a phased approach for the safe and responsible resumption of passenger cruises.
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The Order establishes a framework of actionable items for the cruise line industry to follow so they can resume passenger operations with an emphasis on preventing the further spread of coronavirus on cruise ships and from cruise ships into communities, and to protect public health and safety.
The Order applies to passenger operations on cruise ships with the capacity to carry at least 250 passengers in waters subject to U.S. jurisdiction.
Recent outbreaks on cruise ships overseas provide current evidence that cruise ship travel facilitates and amplifies transmission of coronavirus—even when ships sail at reduced passenger capacities—and would likely spread the disease into U.S. communities if passenger operations were to resume in the United States without public health oversight.
During the initial phases, cruise ship operators must demonstrate adherence to testing, quarantine and isolation, and social distancing requirements to protect crew members while they build the laboratory capacity needed to test crew and future passengers.
Subsequent phases will include simulated (mock) voyages with volunteers playing the role of passengers to test cruise ship operators’ ability to mitigate coronavirus risk, certification for ships that meet specific requirements, and return to passenger voyages in a manner that mitigates coronavirus risk among passengers, crew members, and communities.
CDC will help ships prepare and protect crew members during the initial phases by:
- establishing a laboratory team dedicated to cruise ships to provide information and oversight for coronavirus testing,
- updating its color-coding system to indicate ship status,
- updating its technical instructions, as needed, and
- updating the “Enhanced Data Collection (EDC) During coronavirus Pandemic Form†to prepare for surveillance for coronavirus among passengers. ■