The White House has reduced the risk level for Covid-19 on board cruise ships, a week after it raised the warning to the highest status and recommended that everyone avoid cruising.
On Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) lowered its Travel Health Notice to Level 3, or “high”, based on “primary criteria” in which Covid incidents fall within 1,000 to 2,000 cases over the preceding two weeks.
The CDC also has a set of “secondary criteria” in which Level 3 confirms between 500 and 999 cases during the same period.
The CDC decision “is a step in the right direction and recognises the leadership and effectiveness of the cruise sector’s health and safety protocols that are unmatched by virtually any other commercial setting”, the Cruise Lines International Association said.
“Cruise ships have medical, isolation and quarantine facilities on site, implement extensive response plans using private shoreside resources and have created an environment where almost every single person is fully vaccinated.
“As a result, cases of Covid-19 are very low, with the vast majority mild or asymptomatic —making cruise unequalled in its multi-layered approach to effectively mitigating Covid-19.”
The CDC raised the notice to Level 4, or “very high” on 9 February in light of numerous onboard Covid cases, recommending that people “avoid cruise travel at this time”, weeks after lifting a conditional sailing order on 15 January.
Level 3 guidelines urge people to be up to date with vaccinations before boarding a cruise ship and recommend that individuals who are not fully vaccinated or have virus symptoms stay off the vessels.
