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The Healthy Sail Panel is comprised of a group of globally recognized experts with diverse backgrounds, including in public health, infectious disease, biosecurity, hospitality, and maritime operations. It is co- chaired by Governor Mike Leavitt, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and Dr. Scott Gottlieb, former Commissioner of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The panel recommends 74 detailed steps to safeguard the health of guests, crew and communities.
The Panel aimed to achieve the appropriate balance between addressing business needs and operational realities, with the paramount goal of creating enhanced health and safety standards. We came away convinced of both companies’ determination and commitment to create best practices for mitigating the risk of SARS-CoV-2, to ensure the safety of passengers, crew, and destination communities, and to implement a best-in-class set of standards for safety.
Healthy Sail Panel
Key to preventing an outbreak on board a ship will be developing and implementing several layers of protection—beginning before crew and guests arrive to the ship, continuing through the time when they are on board, and lasting until they eventually debark. The best way to prevent an outbreak on board is through robust testing prior to embarkation, supported by preboard education and health screening for guests and crew. If diligently followed, these steps will greatly reduce the likelihood of the introduction of SARS-CoV-2 on cruise ships. Once individuals are on board, a variety of measures can be employed to identify SARS-CoV-2 infections and reduce the risk of person-to-person transmission. Each measure alone is insufficient, but a multi-layered approach, with careful planning and implementation, is much more likely to reduce the risk that the virus will spread among passengers and crew.