On April 9, 2020, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended the No Sail Order for all cruise ships in waters in which the U.S. “may exert jurisdiction.” The order was originally issued on March 14, 2020 as an effort to limit the impact of COVID-19 at cruise ship ports of entry in the U.S.
The end date for the order is not set, but the CDC said it will lift the order when one of three situations occurs:
- The expiration of the Secretary of Health and Human Services’ declaration that COVID-19 constitutes a public health emergency
- The CDC Director rescinds or modifies the order based on specific public health or other considerations
- 100 days from the date of publication in the Federal Register
The order also requires cruise ships to develop operational plans to “help prevent, mitigate, and respond to the spread of COVID-19” by:
- Monitoring of passengers and crew medical screenings;
- Training crew on COVID-19 prevention;
- Managing and responding to an outbreak on board; and
- Submitting a plan to the U.S. Coast Guard and CDC for review
When the No Sail Order was issued in March, Cruise Lines (CLIA) voluntarily suspended cruise ship operations in the U.S. for 30 days.
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