US Marks 100 Cruise Ship Milestone As Omicron Variant Headlines Around the World

The US marks its 100 cruise ship milestone. According to the CDC, 100 cruise ships are either sailing or preparing to sail in the US.

This information comes from CDC’s Cruise Ship Color Status monitor. Almost 20 different cruise lines were present in the list. This includes Carnival, Princess, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, Disney, Celebrity

Cruise lines submit health data every time cruise ships plan to sail or sail with passengers in US ports. The colors are classified as Green, Orange, Yellow, Red, and Gray.

Green represents no reported cases of COVID19. Orange, represents reported cases but below the threshold for CDC investigation. Yellow, on the other hand, represents a ship with reported cases but met the threshold for CDC investigation.

Red means there are reported cases of COVID19 and are at or above the threshold for CDC investigations. Red also means that there will be additional public health measures in place. And lastly, gray means that the agency hasn’t reviewed or confirmed the ship’s health and safety protocols.

100 Cruise Ship Milestone

The number of cruise ships monitored by the CDC increased steadily in the last months. As of August, the count was only around 65. But by November 22, the US reached its 100 cruise ship milestone. 76 of those monitored ships were ships sailing with paying passengers. The remaining ships only have crew members awaiting return.

Omicron Variant

The 100 cruise ship milestone came as the omicron variant shortly made headlines. The US announced on Friday that it would ban visitors from southern African countries. But on Monday, the president announced that he doesn’t expect additional travel restrictions.

CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky advised, “Everyone ages 18 and older should get a booster shot.. when they are 6 months after their initial Pfizer or Moderna series”. She also said that those who received the single-dose Johnson & Johnson at least two months ago qualify for a booster dose.