FL Governor tells CDC to get its act together

[ChuckElias]

WATCH: Gov. Ron DeSantis Urges CDC to Rescind No-Sail Order to Resume Cruises from Port Canaveral - Space Coast Daily

Gov. Ron DeSantis, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Secretary Kevin J. Thibault, P.E. held a roundtable discussion on Friday with cruise industry executives and employees to highlight the importance of this critical industry to Florida’s economy. [...]

spacecoastdaily.com

 

[King Capybara 77]

 

[castlecake2.0]

Good, things have changed and the CDC needs to keep up. Not saying it should be a free for all with no regulations, but with the vaccination rates quickly increasing its time to update the no sail order to something more realistic

 

[ToTBellHop]

LOL

 

[ChuckElias]

I actually listened to the whole thing. There's a lot of political grandstanding. There's a lot of thanking the Governor for being so great. There's a lot of talk about economic impact and "Let's get people back to work".

But there were also two points that I think are very valid. 1) Every other aspect of the travel industry is open and has been given strict guidelines for safe operation. And 2) cruising is already in operation in other countries (with no vaccine) with no major outbreaks.

(Sea Dream had 5 cases on its first attempt to re-start in the Caribbean, but Royal Caribbean has been operating out of Singapore, and MSC has been sailing in the Med with no issues.)

I do think we should be further along the timeline to a restart than we are.

 

[ToTBellHop]

I actually listened to the whole thing. There's a lot of political grandstanding. There's a lot of thanking the Governor for being so great. There's a lot of talk about economic impact and "Let's get people back to work".

But there were also two points that I think are very valid. 1) Every other aspect of the travel industry is open and has been given strict guidelines for safe operation. And 2) cruising is already in operation in other countries (with no vaccine) with no major outbreaks.

(Sea Dream had 5 cases on its first attempt to re-start in the Caribbean, but Royal Caribbean has been operating out of Singapore, and MSC has been sailing in the Med with no issues.)

I do think we should be further along the timeline to a restart than we are.

Absolutely. Test cruises should be scheduled, for example. If you are the CDC, avoid the headache and allow test cruises. If the cruise line can’t do it safely, let them die on their own swords.

 

[MaryJaneP]

If they can combine a rapid test for norovirus and covid at the same time and have it be administered prior to boarding, many viral outbreaks seemingly could be reduced and cruising could restart. We would be more likely to hop on a ship if there was at least this step. nothing's perfect, but DCL could go a long way in beginning their cruises with this non-invasive assurance.

 

[jme]

If they can combine a rapid test for norovirus and covid at the same time and have it be administered prior to boarding, many viral outbreaks seemingly could be reduced and cruising could restart. We would be more likely to hop on a ship if there was at least this step. nothing's perfect, but DCL could go a long way in beginning their cruises with this non-invasive assurance.

Rapid tests are in still in extremely short supply at the moment. Many hospitals don't even have access to these in the US.
That being said, once we get production sorted out, a embarkation day test for norovirus and covid-19 would be a major step-up for the cruise industry that I suspect would assuage the fears of many.

 

[ToTBellHop]

Meanwhile the CDC Director sees “impending doom.” smh

 

[ChuckElias]

Meanwhile the CDC Director sees “impending doom.” smh

Big surprise.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Absolutely. Test cruises should be scheduled, for example. If you are the CDC, avoid the headache and allow test cruises. If the cruise line can’t do it safely, let them die on their own swords.

Under the current conditional restrictions the CDC *wants* cruise lines to do test cruises with distancing and hygiene protocols in place to make sure they work.

And to put in protocols for testing crew and guests.

And to make sure they have an arrangement with a harbor/jurisdiction/medical facility that will take them if they have sick boat.

The cruise lines have refused to take those steps to make cruising happen. If they did, they could be cruising now.

The conditional restriction is just that... they can cruise during a pandemic with these conditional restrictions. This is different than the No Cruise Order which was lifted in Nov of 2020.

The cruise lines want no restrictions and they're painting the CDC as the villains for "extending" the Conditional Restriction to Nov of 2021. But the CDC didn't extend it. It was always set to expire Nov 1.

 

[ChuckElias]

Under the current conditional restrictions the CDC *wants* cruise lines to do test cruises with distancing and hygiene protocols in place to make sure they work.

The cruise lines have refused to take those steps to make cruising happen. If they did, they could be cruising now.

Are you sure about this? I really don't think that's true. All the statements I've heard from the cruise lines say that they're waiting for the CDC to issue the technical details that will be required for simulated sailings.

I have no inside knowledge, but if the cruise lines could be sailing in any capacity from the US right now, I'm 99.9% sure that they would be.

 

[MisterPenguin]

Are you sure about this? I really don't think that's true. All the statements I've heard from the cruise lines say that they're waiting for the CDC to issue the technical details that will be required for simulated sailings.

I have no inside knowledge, but if the cruise lines could be sailing in any capacity from the US right now, I'm 99.9% sure that they would be.

Don't you think cruise lines would have been publicly berating the CDC for those guidelines since last November?

 

[Bob Harlem]

Don't you think cruise lines would have been publicly berating the CDC for those guidelines since last November?

They have been, and the pressure has been on to get the guidelines (which they don't exist beyond phase 1), and additional pressure to at least update the outdated Conditional Sail order issued back in November of last year based on new data.

 

[jme]

Are you sure about this? I really don't think that's true. All the statements I've heard from the cruise lines say that they're waiting for the CDC to issue the technical details that will be required for simulated sailings.

I have no inside knowledge, but if the cruise lines could be sailing in any capacity from the US right now, I'm 99.9% sure that they would be.

Here is the official guidelines as published by the CDC back in Oct 2020:

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/pdf/CDC-Conditional-Sail-Order_10_30_2020-p.pdf

Skip to page 24 to read the Minimum Requirements in order to obtain a Conditional Sailing certificate.

 

[monothingie]

Under the current conditional restrictions the CDC *wants* cruise lines to do test cruises with distancing and hygiene protocols in place to make sure they work.

And to put in protocols for testing crew and guests.

And to make sure they have an arrangement with a harbor/jurisdiction/medical facility that will take them if they have sick boat.

The cruise lines have refused to take those steps to make cruising happen. If they did, they could be cruising now.

The conditional restriction is just that... they can cruise during a pandemic with these conditional restrictions. This is different than the No Cruise Order which was lifted in Nov of 2020.

The cruise lines want no restrictions and they're painting the CDC as the villains for "extending" the Conditional Restriction to Nov of 2021. But the CDC didn't extend it. It was always set to expire Nov 1.

The criteria established in Fall 2020 is out of date. There is no consideration of vaccinated passengers or guidance on cruise operations with fully vaccinated crew and passengers. The cruise line operators are reluctant to make operational decisions with criteria that is obsolete. The CDC is slow walking presenting anything new and preventing any progress. The CDC is simply not following the science. DeSantis and the CLA are right to take them to task on it.

 

[King Capybara 77]

The criteria established in Fall 2020 is out of date. There is no consideration of vaccinated passengers or guidance on cruise operations with fully vaccinated crew and passengers. The cruise line operators are reluctant to make operational decisions with criteria that is obsolete. The CDC is slow walking presenting anything new and preventing any progress. The CDC is simply not following the science. DeSantis and the CLA are right to take them to task on it.

Not sure if DCL will take this route but I believe a lot of other companies sailing around the UK this summer will require some proof of vaccination before boarding. The no vaccine passport seems to be a bit of shot in the foot.
just my 2 pence

 

[networkpro]

The criteria established in Fall 2020 is out of date. There is no consideration of vaccinated passengers or guidance on cruise operations with fully vaccinated crew and passengers. The cruise line operators are reluctant to make operational decisions with criteria that is obsolete. The CDC is slow walking presenting anything new and preventing any progress. The CDC is simply not following the science. DeSantis and the CLA are right to take them to task on it.

They are not letting the opportunity for additional funding and keeping control to slip away from their hands.

 

[monothingie]

Not sure if DCL will take this route but I believe a lot of other companies sailing around the UK this summer will require some proof of vaccination before boarding. The no vaccine passport seems to be a bit of shot in the foot.
just my 2 pence

It's two separate things. The vaccine passport EO doesn't apply to cruise lines since it's not in the jurisdiction of the state of Florida. It's federal. DCL and any other cruise line can still require it. Second, DCL has joined in the CLA to force the CDC into action. The press reported that DCL supports DeSantis' threatened legal action against the CDC.

 

[monothingie]

They are not letting the opportunity for additional funding and keeping control to slip away from their hands.

Imagine that.