![]() "When spread is extensive in the community, like it is in Florida right now, every everything becomes risky," Malani says. "We can try to do cruises as safely as possible, but we are going to have breakthrough cases," says Ostrosky.Īnother factor to keep in mind: The level of community spread in the place where you live - or, in this case, where a cruise is departing from - significantly affects your risk level. While being fully vaccinated significantly reduces your risk of hospitalization or death from Covid, Ostrosky notes, the delta variant's increased transmissibility means vaccination "no longer guarantees that you're not going to acquire the infection, or be able to transmit it." That means any vaccine mandates need to be paired with other safety measures, like wearing masks and maintaining social distance. It's a good start, experts say - but not enough. Several cruise companies, including Disney Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line, are cracking down on vaccine requirements. Vaccine requirements help, but are not foolproof Preeti Malani, chief health officer at the University of Michigan. "Frankly, the risk on a two-hour flight where everyone is masked and airflow is good is than being on a cruise ship for five days straight," says Dr. That's why it's common to see outbreaks of other contagious respiratory or gastrointestinal viruses, like norovirus, aboard cruises.Ĭruises are even particularly risky when compared to other types of travel, like driving or flying, because they present more opportunities for prolonged exposure. "It's just a recipe for transmission," Ostrosky says. If an outbreak happens at sea, you're restricted to the boat, which can make the outbreak harder to contain and treat. You eat and drink indoors at buffet restaurants with large communal tables, attend shows in theaters and touch all kinds of surfaces, from railings to casino games. On a cruise, you often spend time in shared common areas. Here's why those risks are particularly dangerous, especially compared to other forms of travel - and what can be done to make cruises safer:Įven on a good day outside of the pandemic, cruises are challenging environments from an infection-control standpoint, Ostrosky says. "Īnd even with safety measures in place, cruises come with residual risks that can't be ignored, like unavoidable close quarters and potential for breakthrough infections. "And we don't have the level of vaccination we need to assure that people are going to survive if they happen to get. Cases are "completely out of control," he says. ![]() Luis Ostrosky, division chief for infectious diseases at UT Health, part of the University of Texas, Houston. ![]() Travel of any kind is currently a very high-risk activity, explains Dr. In recent weeks, the company has mandated pre-boarding negative Covid tests for all passengers and released a statement to the Washington Post saying that the woman who died "almost certainly did not contract COVID on our ship." Notably, when she boarded the ship on July 31, testing procedures were not in place. The tragic incident begs the question: Is traveling on a cruise safe right now? ![]()
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