CDC Stops Tracking COVID Cases on Cruise Ships
WEDNESDAY, July 20, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has ended its program to monitor COVID-19 cases on cruise ships, leaving the industry to manage infection risks aboard its vessels.
Cruise ships experienced some of the earliest coronavirus outbreaks as the pandemic began. The CDC had monitored cases for two years under the COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships.
Cruise lines can still opt into the program by agreeing to follow all the recommendations and guidance, while the CDC used a color-coded chart to show transmission levels.
"[The] CDC has determined that the cruise industry has access to the necessary tools [e.g., cruise-specific recommendations and guidance, vaccinations, testing instruments, treatment modalities and non-pharmaceutical interventions] to prevent and mitigate COVID-19 on board," an agency spokesperson told CBS News. "Therefore, CDC's COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships is no longer in effect as of today."
The decision allows the cruise lines to set their own COVID-19 policies. Some have already updated guidance for travel requirements, CBS News reported.
Princess Cruises provided updated guidance on Monday, now encouraging vaccinated and unvaccinated passengers to vacation on the ships. The cruise line said it can now accommodate more unvaccinated guests on sailings "without burdensome exemptions or vaccine status justification."
Another cruise line, Royal Caribbean, said it is awaiting updated CDC guidance before it changes any COVID protocols, CBS News reported. Guests from U.S. ports currently must be vaccinated and provide a negative PCR or antigen test taken no more than two days before they board.
The CDC noted that safety measures will likely vary among the different companies and urged travelers to communicate with cruise operators about COVID policies. The CDC also said cruise travel continues to pose "some risk of COVID-19 transmission.”
Early in the pandemic, cruise lines were significantly impacted by lost sales, especially before vaccines were available and social distancing was the primary mitigation tactic. In 2020 and 2021, the cruise lines lost a combined $63 billion and thousands of jobs, CBS News reported.
More information
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers COVID-19 travel guidance.
SOURCE: CBS News
Related Articles
Search Allergy Articles
Resolve to Keep Your Allergies, Asthma in Check in 2024
Dangerous Allergies? An Expert Gives Tips to Protect Yourself
Know Your Spring Allergens and the Meds That Can Help
Some Chocolate Products Labeled 'Dairy-Free' Contain Milk, FDA Finds
COVID Does Not Spur Asthma in Kids, Study Finds
Athletes Can Expect High Ozone, Pollen Counts for Paris Olympics
Too Few Asthma Patients Are Using Updated Inhalers
Could Inhaling a Statin Help Ease Asthma, COPD?
Gas Stoves Could Leave Your Lungs Vulnerable to Nitrogen Dioxide
Air Filters Probably Won't Cut Your Odds for Illness: Study
Respiratory Illnesses in China Not Caused by New Virus, CDC Director Testifies
Putting the Lid Down Won't Cut Germ Spread From a Toilet Flush
Could Antibody Discovery Lead to Better Flu Vaccines?
'Dual Mutant' Seasonal Flu Virus Could Make Some Treatments Ineffective