Cruise companies decided to voluntarily suspend operations in Brazil until January 21st. The statement cites “uncertainties in the interpretation and application of previously approved protocols”.
The statement from the Brazilian Association of Cruise Ships (CLIA) says that “cruise industry protocols exceed most other industries and remain effective in mitigating the risk of COVID-19” and that the cases identified on ships “consist of a small minority of the total population on board”.
The note adds that the two cruise companies operating in the country, MSC Cruzeiros and Costa Cruzeiros, are seeking “alignment with the authorities of the federal government, Anvisa, states and municipalities in the destinations we operate in relation to the interpretation and application of operational protocols of health and safety that had been
approved at the beginning of the current season, in November”.
The suspension is expected to last until January 21, with cruises that are currently in navigation finalizing their
scripts as scheduled.
Finally, CLIA informs that “the current season, after the end of the suspension, may be canceled in its entirety if there is no adequacy and alignment between all the parties involved to enable the continuity of the operation”.
Earlier, the minister of Tourism, Gilson Machado, had told the CNN that Ômicron changed the landscape for the continuation of the cruise season in the country and that the government was re-evaluating the rules for boarding.
This Monday morning, the minister met with representatives of the ministries that sign the ordinance with the norms in force so far. The ordinance was issued on December 8 by the Health, Justice, Infrastructure and Civil House folders.
“Everything is being done within protocols, but no one was counting on Ômicron. We are re-evaluating the ordinance, when it was edited, Ômicron did not exist. And today it is known that most of these people may have the disease, but many are asymptomatic”, stated Machado.
Health Minister Marcelo Queiroga, in turn, said that “the (cruise) ordinance already provided for Covid cases. If companies are doing this [suspensão], are observing what is in the ordinance and the security of the contractors”.
Reference: CNN Brasil
