Resumption of cruises will depend on data on Covid, says Minister of Tourism

Tourism Minister Gilson Machado told CNN this Tuesday (4) that the resumption of cruises, suspended until January 21, will depend on the control of cases of Covid-19 and the occupation of hospital beds in the country.

“I defend that common sense is used, that, supplied with numbers, not only from Brazil, but from all over the world, we can restart cruises responsibly or cancel in case there is an explosion of cases in Brazil and in the world, and with hospital overload” , said the minister.

Machado highlighted that the pressures on hospital care are not related only to Covid, but also to cases of Influenza, and said that an eventual release of cruises in the country will also be decided by the Ministry of Health.

He claims that the ministries of Tourism and Health are concerned with “following up on epidemiological data, if there is pressure on hospitals”, and that the pandemic data “are on the table for analysis, mainly by the Ministry of Health”, said Machado.

The Ministry of Tourism had signed the ordinance that allowed the return of cruise activity in the country in October, together with the Health, Justice, Infrastructure and Civil House portfolios.

“We are reassessing 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”, said Machado last Monday (3).

The Brazilian Association of Cruise Ships (CLIA) decided to voluntarily suspend operations on Monday after outbreaks on ships off the Brazilian coast. The suspension will be maintained at least until January 21st.

Anvisa had recommended the suspension of cruises and the mooring of vessels after 55 days of the season, up to December 25, 31 cases of coronavirus contamination were reported. Nine days later, the number of cases had risen more than 25 times.

On the realization of the carnival, the minister said that there is no decision, but that he hopes for the celebration, considered essential for the revival of tourism in the country. “We are indeed having a recovery, we are going to create nearly 500,000 jobs by the end of February in Tourism alone,” stated Machado.