The U.S. State Department has changed its travel advisory for COVID-19 precautions. Now “all U.S citizens, particularly cruisers and travelers, who have pre-existing health conditions are recommended not to travel by any cruise ships.” Americans who travel overseas should not rely on any flights or travel means as a guaranteed option should local authorities decide to quarantine passengers who may have been infected by the COVID-19 virus.

The U.S State Department and Center for Disease Control have noticed an increased risk of infection of COVID-19 in cruise ship environments due to close quarters. In order to stabilize the spread of the COVID-19, many countries have implemented strict screening procedures that have denied port entry rights to ships, preventing passengers from disembarking. In some cases, local authorities have permitted disembarkation but subjected most of the passengers to local quarantine procedures. While the U.S. government has evacuated some cruise ship passengers in recent weeks, air flights should not be relied upon as an option for U.S. citizens under the potential risk of quarantine by local authorities.

“This a contagious fluid situation”, stated the Center For Disease Control (CDC). The Center For Disease Control (CDC) notes that older adults and travelers with underlying health issues should avoid situations that put them at increase risks for more severe diseases. This includes avoiding crowded places, avoiding non-essential travel such as flights and embarking on cruise ships. Any travelers with plans to travel by cruise ship should contact their cruise line companies directly first for further information. It is important to continue to monitor the latest information from the Center Disease Control (CDC) regarding the COVID-19 Virus.

Visit the CDC website at <www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/index.html>. The State Department is dedicated to issuing future protocols for guests who travel by cruise or plane to help in the elimination of onboard quarantine.

Recently, Sen. Ted Cruz, Rep. Paul Gosar, and other legislators self-quarantine themselves after interacting with an individual infected with the novel Coronavirus at an annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in late February.

BNA, commercial airlines continue to address coronavirus

As news of the coronavirus continues, Nashville International Airport (BNA) remains committed to its 24-hour/365-day cleaning protocol that complies with the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) guidelines, as well as maintaining close contact with the CDC, Metro and State health departments, industry organizations and serving on the Governor’s Coronavirus Task Force.