The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ended its COVID-19 cruise program Monday.
“CDC has worked intensively with the cruise industry, state, territorial, and local health authorities, as well as federal and port partners to provide a safer and healthier environment for cruise passengers and crew,” the agency’s online page reads. they have to lead and team to manage their own COVID-19 mitigation programs. “
The CDC added that “while cruise ships pose a threat of COVID-19 transmission, CDC will continue to consider direction for cruise ships to continue to provide a safer and healthier environment for crew, passengers, and communities going forward. “
USA TODAY reached out to him for comment.
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The company switched to a voluntary COVID-19 mitigation cruise ship shipping program earlier this year, which introduced recommendations on protective measures such as vaccination. Cruise lines that opted for the program agreed to comply with those recommendations.
The CDC said on its online page that it would continue to provide check recommendations to cruise ship operators and that shipments would continue to report cases to the agency. The upgrade comes as ship capacity and occupancy levels have increased, more than two years after the industry shut down through the pandemic.
Cruise Lines International, the industry’s largest industry organization, welcomed the end of the program “in favor of a set of rules for public fitness operations on cruise ships,” spokeswoman Anne Madison told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
“We look forward to reviewing the details, which we will post on the CDC’s online page in the coming days,” he continued. “This is a vital step in aligning cdc’s cruise rules with those it has established for other travel, hospitality and entertainment industries. “
After the CDC program ended, Azamara announced that it would abandon its COVID-19 shipping rule on July 25, “excluding ports where it is still required in accordance with the country’s regulations,” according to a Tuesday press release.
“Azamara recommends that all passengers departing from any port be tested at their recreation venue earlier to ensure a comfortable and fun experience, but those effects will not be mandatory to board an Azamara ship,” the cruise line said in the statement. However, Azamara will continue to require evidence of vaccination.