Cruises may restrict 'travelers of a certain age,' industry proposes to White House
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The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) submitted a proposal to Vice President Michael Pence focusing on “prevention, detection and care” amid the coronavirus outbreak. The new plan would potentially restrict travelers of a certain age and those with chronic health conditions from boarding.
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The proposal was submitted to the White House amid rising concerns about the global pandemic.
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“In our meeting with him on Saturday, the vice president placed great emphasis on protecting the most vulnerable populations, which include travelers of a certain age and those with chronic health conditions, as specified by the CDC. We believe the plan that we submitted is responsive to those concerns,” a spokesperson for the CLIA told Fox News.
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Though the organization refused to share more details regarding the plan while the vice president and task force review it, a source reportedly told USA Today the proposal would deny boarding to any person of the age of 70 unless they are able to present a doctor’s note verifying their fitness to travel.
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Pence said at a press briefing they would be reviewing it “in the next 24 hours,” following the president’s objective to “make cruise lines safer” and “ensure that no one in our particularly vulnerable population” is going out on a cruise.
The CLIA said the proposal “focuses on prevention, detection and care — and further demonstrates the cruise industry’s commitment to public health and safety and its willingness to go above and beyond to address the challenge facing our global community.”
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Recently, passengers on Diamond Princess and Grand Princess ships have been dealing with the coronavirus outbreak, which resulted in 700 people and 21 people, respectively, contracting the virus.
The CLIA, the leading voice of the global cruise industry, has already announced additional enhanced screening measures in response to the outbreak, in a press release.
Among them are denying boarding to all persons who have “traveled from, visited or transited via airports in South Korea, Iran, China, including Hong Kong and Macau, and any municipality in Italy subject to lockdown (quarantine) measures by the Italian government, as designated by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, within 14 days prior to embarkation.” Those who have had contact with anyone suspected of having or diagnosed with COVID-19 will also be denied boarding.
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Illness screenings will also be conducted 14 days before embarkation for passengers based on their recent travel history, as well as temperature screenings for all people boarding.