MIAMI – Starting Saturday the CDC’s guidance for preventing COVID-19 on cruise ships will become optional as the agency’s Conditional Sailing Order is set to expire.
It comes as some cruise lines continue to cancel select sailings, the latest being the Norwegian Joy, which has now scrapped its next two voyages.
Passengers arriving back at Port Miami on Saturday said they weren’t aware of any confirmed cases.
“We didn’t hear of any covid cases,” said cruise passenger Rhonda Clark. “The ship was at like a third capacity, there were no lines. We had a great time.”
On Friday, the CDC also updated its mask guidance, encouraging all Americans to consider wearing the more-protective N-95 of KN-95 masks.
“We think, based on some models that we’ve looked at, that we are at the peak, perhaps, which is good news,” said Jackson Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hany Atallah.
The rapid rise in COVID cases has pushed the medical field to the max, with hospitals facing shortages all over the state.
Officials at Jackson Health have said their resources are already exhausted, which is why they’re now asking for donations.
“We have had a fair number of people go out with a covid infection, and we’ve adjusted accordingly,” said Atallah.
Hospital officials say the number of patients hospitalized with COVID far exceeds the previous peak. Of their 508 COVID-positive patients, 112 were vaccinated.
“We’ve turned entire units, five units to be exact, of the non ICU units into covid units,” said Atallah.