Posted on 02/01/2021 5:02:24 PM PST by Capt. Tom
-- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced it will make face masks mandatory on all forms of transportation within the United States, including aboard cruise ships and inside cruise terminals across the country.
The new guidance, which will take effect February 2, will also mandate the use of face masks by all travelers within, to or out of the United States onboard all airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, busses, taxis and ride-sharing services like Uber.
In addition, all bus stations, subway stations, airports and cruise terminals will also require all travelers to use face masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as they are classified as transportation hubs.
The CDC states that masks will also be required upon embarkation and disembarkation for cruise ships, along with other forms of transportation, within the U.S. "America's transportation systems are essential," said CDC Director Rochelle P. Walensky. "Given how interconnected most transportation systems are across our nation and the world, when infected persons travel on public conveyances without wearing a mask and with others who are not wearing masks, the risk of interstate and international transmission can grow quickly."
The CDC concluded its guidance by stating its recommendation that all nonessential travel should continue to be avoided.
Most of the world's cruise lines have already introduced guidance requiring the use of face masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 when passengers are in the vessel's public areas, except while eating or drinking. As early as last June, it was looking increasingly like cruise passengers would be required to wear masks when cruising resumed.
In September, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' Healthy Sailing Panel released a series of 74 recommendations to the CDC for the safe resumption of cruising within the United States. Recommendation 16 covered the use of face masks and concluded that usage should be a part of any return to service plan.
"The Panel discussed the benefits to widespread and consistent usage of face masks on board a cruise ship as well as consumer preferences about mask usage," states the Healthy Sail Panel's report (PDF) in the section regarding the usage of personal protective equipment.
"The limited experience this summer aboard European cruises has revealed that a significant portion of guests wear face masks in public areas, even when they are not mandated. Therefore, in the interest of limiting potential spread of virus, the Panel recommends that face coverings are a simple and effective strategy that should be employed."
At the same time, the Cruise Lines International Association, the governing body that represents much of the cruise industry, sent the CDC its list of recommendations for successful restart of cruise.
Both CLIA and the Healthy Sail Panel recommended the mandatory use of face masks when passengers were in public areas outside of their cabins.
Three months after the fact, the CDC has yet to act upon any of the cruise industry's submitted guidance. The CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing, issued October 30, simply states that the cruise lines must follow applicable guidance from the CDC, without directly specifying what that would be.
"While the actions taken by some cruise ship operators to improve their public health response to COVID-19 are encouraging, ongoing public health oversight is needed to ensure uniform standards for mitigating the communicable disease risk to crew and prospective passengers," the CDC's Framework for Conditional Sailing order states.
Guidelines on Mask Usage Now Clearer for Cruise Terminals within the United States
One aspect that the CDC's new directive clears up is what will be required for passengers embarking on cruises within the United States.
By mandating that all transportation hubs, including seaports, require face coverings for all embarking and disembarking passengers, the CDC has laid out clear, concise expectations for passengers, whether they're embarking at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, PortMiami, or setting sail out of Long Beach.
Rather than having a patchwork of differing rules and regulations, the CDC's guidance that takes effect February 2 will make it easier for passengers to know what to expect when embarking or disembarking any cruise ship at any U.S. port of call., though local regulations regarding the usage of face coverings will still have to be followed once outside the cruise terminal.
Regardless of the latest CDC mandate, cruising within the United States has been on pause since March 2020. The CDC's reporting requirements for the cruise industry are currently the strictest of any transportation mode within the United States.
Tom here-No doubt the CDC will continue to hamstring cruising. -Tom
Yep. Best thing about cruising is breathing in that wonderful sea air. What are they going to do?
Spray lysol?
The Empire has spoken.
It’s illegal for the CDC to do this. The statute they cite in support of their dictate does not give them the right they clam.
Someone needs to sue immediately.
I wonder how much travel and tourism will be hamgstrung?
So we all have to wear a mask when traveling. We may well be rewuired soon to have an immunity passport, proving we have been given the vaccine.
At some point, will critical numbers of people say, to hell with it, and just decide they don’t want all these additional hassles of traveling?
I thought law making was the job of Congress, no some small subdivision of a federal department.
Welcome to the tyranny of the bureaucracy
I’ve already decided it. I used to go to Europe several times a year and I had several trips planned for this year. But forget about it.
I’m only going places in the US (i) which I can drive to; (ii) where masks are not mandatory and (c) where they don’t put you in quarantine.
The loss of the freedom to travel, even in our own country, is just stunning.
This deals a blow to the low-riders in Albuquerque and other low-rider havens cruising the main drag and the sonic/ /s
is anyone else here wondering, why are we doing all this, for a virus which the vast majority of us will survive even if we do get the virus? This virus is not the return of the bubonic plague from medieval Europe.
And does anyone else wonder, if we will face restrictions indefinitely, because new viruses or illnesses are always being discovered? And are we setting precedent here, that we will shut down society for any new illness or virus which people like Dr. Fauci discover?
Breaking: Evey one communicating on social media will have to wear masks while doing so.
I bet that is part of the CDCs motivation.
Paying thousands of dollars to have a mask cruise will discourage some cruisers.
The CDC has some more cards ,like vaccination requirements, and a PRESS ready to jump in on a covid infection onboard. -Tom
The new head of the CDC has just been appointed by BIDEN and she is following orders. -Tom
Fromthe CDC website (emphasis mine) Press Release For Immediate Release: Saturday January, 30, 2021 Contact: Media Relations (404) 639-3286
As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to surge in the United States, CDC is implementing provisions of President Biden’s Executive Order on Promoting COVID-19 Safety in Domestic and International Travel and will require the wearing of masks by all travelers into, within, or out of the United States, e.g., on airplanes, ships, ferries, trains, subways, buses, taxis, and ride-shares.
I’m already at that “to hell with it” point. There is nothing pleasurable about wearing a mask and I will not pay money to suffocate myself or my family members.
We are within driving distance of beaches and mountains..that is good enough for us.
Horowitz: Comprehensive analysis of 50 states shows greater spread with mask mandates
These hacks can’t even keep their own lies straight.
Good thing we swore off of cruises after taking one YEARS ago.
We’re about to swear off flying, too, if they try any testing/experimental “vax” nonsense, too.
See the USA in our (not) Chevrolet!
As I previously stated to you I’m not going on my scheduled cruise to Bermuda if I have to wear a mask the entire time. Also if in international waters how can US rules apply?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.