Understanding that the CDC has been dealing with cases since cruises resumed over the summer, what does it mean when it marks a cruise ship as under investigation or as being monitored on its running list? What it means for a ship to be monitored or under 'investigation' by CDC '(The) CDC has been managing COVID-19 outbreaks on cruise ships since this summer when cruise ships started sailing with passengers,' Daigle continued, noting that the agency is working with ships to keep passengers and crew safe on board with mitigation measures in place. ►Flashback: Will the cruise industry shut down because of the omicron variant as it did in March 2020?ĭavid Daigle, a spokesperson for the CDC, told USA TODAY last Tuesday that the health agency acknowledges it is 'not possible' for cruising to be a zero-risk activity amid the pandemic. A person's chance at contracting coronavirus is higher on cruise ships because the virus spreads more easily between people spending time in close quarters on the vessels. ►Not so fast: Cancellation, refund policies vary by cruise line While the CDC said the rise in cases since the identification of the omicron variant prompted it to issue a level 4 warning about cruising on Thursday, the CDC long anticipated cases on board ships, in part because of the very nature of cruising. Even with stringent vaccination, testing and masking, among other protocols, it is fairly common for coronavirus cases to emerge among passengers and crew on cruise vessels. waters the last two weeks of December, according to the CDC, but the fact that the public health agency is monitoring or investigating a specific ship does not mean there is a widespread COVID-19 outbreak on board.

There were more than 5,000 COVID cases on board cruise ships sailing in U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is monitoring or investigating 94 ships for COVID-19 as of Monday, as it warns Americans to 'avoid cruise travel' regardless of vaccination status. Watch Video: CDC extends cruise line health rules until mid-January

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