Suzanne Rowan Kelleher Forbes Staff
Yesterday the Centers for (CDC) updated its color-coded list of ships that tracks where passengers or crew have tested positive for Covid-19. The list is updated multiple times a week.
The agency currently identifies 86 ships where the number of Covid-19 cases meets the threshold for investigation — a 178% jump in 10 days — as the omicron variant spreads quickly across the U.S..
“CDC has been collaborating with global public health and industry partners to learn about omicron, as we continue to monitor its course,” wrote Jasmine Reed, a CDC spokesperson, via email. “We are still learning how easily it spreads, the severity of illness it causes, and how well available vaccines and medications work against it.”
Eighty-six ships are on yellow status, which signifies that the number of reported Covid-19 cases exceeds .10% — or one-tenth of one percent — of the total number of people onboard the ship. According to the CDC website, 49 of the 86 ships on yellow status have been investigated and remain under observation, while the investigations are still underway for the remaining 37 ships.
The agency’s color-coding system is based on both surveillance data collected over the previous 7-day period as well as the findings of any CDC investigations.
Every cruise line has been affected by the current surge in Covid-19 cases due to the omicron variant. The lion’s share of the 86 cruise ships under watch belong to the largest three cruise operators: Carnival operates 32, Royal Caribbean operates 25 and Norwegian Cruise Line operates 15. All four ships operated by Disney Cruise Line are also on yellow, according to the CDC website.
Despite tight industrywide protocols — including pre-departure Covid testing as well as vaccine mandates — it is not uncommon for ship passengers or crew to test positive for the illness.
Cruise ships are allowed to relax mask use onboard if at least 95% of passengers and 95% of crew are fully vaccinated or in specific areas accessible only to fully vaccinated passengers. “However, CDC continues to advise cruise ship operators to require masks indoors and in crowded outdoor areas regardless of vaccination status due to the increased transmissibility of variants of concern,” said Reed.
In a report published in late October, before the omicron variant was identified, the CDC noted that cruise lines logged 1,359 Covid-19 confirmed cases between June 26 and October 21 of this year. While most of these cases were asymptomatic or mildly symptomatic, 87 of those who tested positive needed to be hospitalized or medevaced off the ship.
“CDC acknowledges that it is not possible for cruising to be a zero-risk activity,” Reed said. “The chance of getting COVID-19 on cruise ships is high because the virus spreads easily between people in close quarters aboard ships.”
With so many ships under watch, it remains unclear if the CDC will require any to take additional public health measures. So far, the agency has not upgraded any ships under watch to the more serious “red” status. In making that decision, the CDC considers multiple factors, including the percent of passengers and crew who are fully vaccinated; whether variants of concern are identified among positive cases; medical resources on board; and more.
These days, cruising requires a flexible mindset. Passengers need to be prepared that the cruise they booked might not be the one they take, as operators may be forced to make itinerary changes on the fly.
Recently, Bonaire and Aruba denied the Carnival Freedom entry to its ports after the ship reported a number of positive cases. And Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Sea changed course from planned stops in Curacao and Aruba after 55 cases of Covid-19 were identified.
It’s worth stressing that Covid-19 is showing up on ships where virtually all the passengers and crew are fully vaccinated. Even so, and even with masking protocols and pre-departure testing, the system is not leakproof because it also relies on the honor system.
“Despite the implementation of strict protocols by cruise ship operators to prevent the introduction of Covid-19 from passengers, ensuring passengers are uninfected at embarkation has proven difficult,” says the report. “There have been several instances of passengers being symptomatic on the day of embarkation and denying symptoms to the cruise line, or passengers being symptomatic for several days on board the ship before reporting their symptoms to the medical center.”
Meanwhile, the 86 cruise ships currently under CDC investigation continue to sail.
“CDC recommends people to avoid cruise travel if they are not fully vaccinated and to get a Covid-19 vaccine booster dose if they are eligible,” Reed said. “Additionally, CDC recommends people avoid cruise travel if they are at increased risk of severe illness, regardless of vaccination status.”
