Health
Boosters needed for cruises says CDC
By Dana Malcolm
Staff Writer
#USA, February 16, 2022 – Boosted passengers (for Covid-19) is now the standard for sailing according to new CDC guidelines for cruise ships.
The new guidelines updated on Wednesday February 9th, outline a tier system and ships that have 95 per cent of passengers and crew vaccinated and boosted are rated the ‘Standard of Excellence’.
Ships with 95 per cent of passengers and Crew vaccinated are “Highly Vaccinated” and anything below that is considered “Not Highly vaccinated.”
It will leave the cruise traveler with the choice on which cruise line company and specific ship is offering the safest possible experience; and it is expected to impact bookings.
To be considered in the standard of excellence category, no less than 95 per cent of the crew and passengers must be ‘up to date’ with vaccinations which the CDC describes as being fully vaccinated with all boosters.
Any ship within the Standard of Excellence tier may allow close contacts of coronavirus cases to only quarantine for five days, whereas close contacts on ships in the tiers below must quarantine for 10 days.
Cruise lines must share the vaccination status of each of their ships with the CDC who will post the information for the public, in order for this system to work and give the most accurate picture.
Cruise liners have until February 18, to choose whether or not they want to opt into the new program which is voluntary.
Carnival cruises, the world’s largest cruise company, had pledged in January that if boosters were required by the CDC, they would adjust their sailing requirements accordingly.