Coast Guard tells cruises to prepare to care for sick people for ‘indefinite period’

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

It was on local news. He was asked about the two ships. He said it was his understanding that no Floridians were onboard at first. He said he was later told US Citizens and Floridians were also onboard. You will just have to trust me. I think it was WFTV Orlando. 

We are in the same media market and that is among the stations friends and I watch, yet none heard that.  

[lr657]

I am a Floridian and a recently retired RN. I can very well understand the stress and lack of supplies that health care workers are currently experiencing. The passengers on these ships boarded before coronavirus became so widespread and the cruising was stopped. It is not their fault that the pandemic exacerbated to this point. Many of these people need medical care. It is a problem that can't be ignored.

 

To those who don't think the ship should be allowed to dock, what is your realistic solution? Shipping the non-US  citizens back to their countries cannot be done at this time. These people are sick. Do we leave them out there to possibly die? I would think our State and National governments should be able to work out a reasonable solution to this situation together. I think that the US would hope another country would do the same if our citizens were in the same situation. There's is no reason that a quarantine area could not be set up for those people that aren't sick until they can make arrangements to return to their homes. Unfortunately the sicker people would likely need to be hospitalized. Health care workers take an oath to save lives, I would think that would also apply to cruise ship passengers. Regardless of whatever countries previously refused to let the ship dock, we need to be better than this.

[Milwaukee Eight]

7 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

We are in the same media market and that is among the stations friends and I watch, yet none heard that.  

It was a short bit based on a phone interview. I’ll see if I can find it. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

12 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

We are in the same media market and that is among the stations friends and I watch, yet none heard that.  

Here a bits of that conversation but it doesn’t cover the question that was asked why he didn’t want the ship to dock before today. Still looking for that part. 
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.usatoday.com/amp/5101845002

 

[LMaxwell]

We have a division of our armed forces telling us they have already reached their capacity and lack capabilities to do more.  That should be alarming and terrifying to us as citizens.  

 

Vilifying the USCG is Anti-American. Many of you ought to be ashamed. 

 

Semper Paratus 

[LMaxwell]

59 minutes ago, CococayDays said:

Maybe the Navy can send another hospital ship to help. How many do they have? 

 

2

[GarlicBread]

Some facts about the HAL ship: 

 

311 US citizens onboard

52 Florida residents 

4 under the age of 12

 

 

45 will remain onboard in isolation. 

Less than 10 will need immediate medical attention, which has been arranged for them. 

The rest who are fit to travel will be transported by coach, meeting requirements above what the CDC asks for, to (mostly charter) flights home. 

[GarlicBread]

5 minutes ago, Starry Eyes said:

Crew?  The article discusses the crew’s crowded living conditions, but once passengers disembark, crew can be spread out into passenger cabins, so no more crowding as soon as passenger disembarkation is handled.  By delaying, those authorities are exacerbating the crowding issue they lament.

 

Evidently the authorities are not even willing to repatriate Australians at this point.  That is so sad.  And really how should Australian citizens near the US shore expect to be treated if there are US citizens are indefinitely stuck on ships near the Australian shore?

 

This. They have one crew to a guest cabin and they're eating in the windjammer (when not in isolation) 

 

And I know for a fact that royal have sent home a lot of their crew over there!

[Gatordad815]

1 hour ago, lr657 said:

I am a Floridian and a recently retired RN. I can very well understand the stress and lack of supplies that health care workers are currently experiencing. The passengers on these ships boarded before coronavirus became so widespread and the cruising was stopped. It is not their fault that the pandemic exacerbated to this point. Many of these people need medical care. It is a problem that can't be ignored.

 

To those who don't think the ship should be allowed to dock, what is your realistic solution? Shipping the non-US  citizens back to their countries cannot be done at this time. These people are sick. Do we leave them out there to possibly die? I would think our State and National governments should be able to work out a reasonable solution to this situation together. I think that the US would hope another country would do the same if our citizens were in the same situation. There's is no reason that a quarantine area could not be set up for those people that aren't sick until they can make arrangements to return to their homes. Unfortunately the sicker people would likely need to be hospitalized. Health care workers take an oath to save lives, I would think that would also apply to cruise ship passengers. Regardless of whatever countries previously refused to let the ship dock, we need to be better than this.

 

As a Floridian and a hospital employee working nonstop to prepare for and confront this crisis, thank you for a measured and thoughtful response to this topic. You hit the nail on the head.

 

Stay safe and well all.

[Knights on the Beach]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

It was a short bit based on a phone interview. I’ll see if I can find it. 

 

This was from the Miami Herald article linked in the post right above yours:

 

At a press conference Wednesday, DeSantis said he is willing to accept any Floridians on board, but that the state is still working on ways to “deal with” foreign nationals so as to not drain resources in South Florida, the state’s epicenter of COVID-19 cases.

On Tuesday, DeSantis said he didn’t want any of the cruise passengers to get off in Florida.

 

Speaking to Fox News Wednesday, DeSantis said he changed his mind after learning that there are U.S. citizens and Florida residents aboard the ships.

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241681661.html

[Milwaukee Eight]

4 minutes ago, cruisemom2 said:

 

This was from the Miami Herald article linked in the post right above yours:

 

At a press conference Wednesday, DeSantis said he is willing to accept any Floridians on board, but that the state is still working on ways to “deal with” foreign nationals so as to not drain resources in South Florida, the state’s epicenter of COVID-19 cases.

On Tuesday, DeSantis said he didn’t want any of the cruise passengers to get off in Florida.

 

Speaking to Fox News Wednesday, DeSantis said he changed his mind after learning that there are U.S. citizens and Florida residents aboard the ships.

 

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/business/tourism-cruises/article241681661.html

Thanks

[cscurlock]

Can you imagine if that ship was registered in Liberia.  You have to go to Liberia.  This is just crazy.  They need to get the Americans off. 

[Knights on the Beach]

No problem.  I've seen a number of the governor's press conferences over the last few days and heard him say more than once that there were mostly foreign nationals onboard.  

[Aquahound]

2 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

We have a division of our armed forces telling us they have already reached their capacity and lack capabilities to do more.  That should be alarming and terrifying to us as citizens.  

 

Vilifying the USCG is Anti-American. Many of you ought to be ashamed. 

 

Semper Paratus 

 

Thank you.  🙂

 

No entity in this world believes in humanitarian assistance more than the USCG.  Over many years, the USCG has removed countless sick and injured from ships, mostly foreign flagged ships, and never charged a dime for it.  In fact, they just recently medevac'd sick crew from 2 Costa ships.  

 

But there comes a time when someone needs to put their foot down.  The USCG cannot continue to bring sick into a saturated area that is already a hot zone for COVID.  USCG is still going to perform their SAR mission.  They're just saying that ships need to exhaust their flag state option first.  

[Roger88]

Its hard to tell wether its good news or bad. But it certainly good that people do pay attention and take all measures to prevent others from falling ill. People who are on board should also be aware that their cruise may not end at port and that it may take some time before they reach their homes. Its hard times guys, please be ready for any circumstances. Your life and life of others depends on it. Take the matter seriosly. PLEASE 

[CococayDays]

Imagine 21 cruise ships disembaking in NYC..

That's what happened to Mia/FLL.  There are ports in Pensacola, Tampa, Port Canaveral.  Share the love

Edited April 2, 2020 by CococayDays
..

[sgmn]

27 minutes ago, CococayDays said:

? Briefed 'for last 4 weeks' about HAL ship which departed Argentina 4 weeks ago?  

Sorry I didn't make my reply clear, it was to the poster who said your governor didn't know it could be passed on by people who display no symptoms. Presume he has a whole staff who are briefing him on covid-19. See my post 96 to see what I was responding to

Edited April 2, 2020 by sgmn

[Missusdubbya]

10 hours ago, Starry Eyes said:

Has Australia allowed the Australian citizens to disembark from those ships (into quarantine or whatever is deemed necessary)?  Or are even the Australians still stuck on board?

Yes, it is mostly crew remaining on board. 

[Milwaukee Eight]

4 hours ago, Coralc said:

It's in the article MadFlyer posted. Said he didn't know there were Floridians and US Citizens onboard. Talked to Trump. You can quit looking for the source.  ETA. Sorry. I didn't see that it had already been covered. 

Thanks

[ONECRUISER]

12 hours ago, CococayDays said:

The Zaandam is not in Florida yet. It's set to arrive Thursday morning so they have not caused harm by discussing it. 

There are currently approx 18 cruise ships docked offshore of South Florida, rotating in and out for gas and supplies, AND dropping off sick crew.  This burden needs to be shared with other ports, States

Ships are outside port now, what I heard is Med teams wil be sent out to them to access(if havent already). Canada and UK are flying own passengers home right away. That's the plan. Not sure about other Countries. Know last month when US has been flying home it's Citizens from other Countries like China and from Princess Cruise, passengers were/are billed by US Govt for the flights

Edited April 2, 2020 by ONECRUISER

[Milwaukee Eight]

7 minutes ago, ONECRUISER said:

Ships are outside port now, what I heard is Med teams wil be sent out to them to access(if havent already). Canada and UK are flying own passengers home right away. That's the plan. Not sure about other Countries. Know last month when US has been flying home it's Citizens from other Countries like China and from Princess Cruise, passengers were/are billed by US Govt for the flights

I thought I heard this morning that those that are sick (fever and symptoms) will remain on the ship for quarantine???  It wasn’t specific regarding nationality. 

[Starry Eyes]

8 hours ago, Hogbay said:

Evidently a cruise ship for got to fly the yellow flag and forgot to report flu like symptoms and those passengers were disembarked into the community and now dropping like flflie.s So question " Willingness " to confirmed test results. How many ships has Florida to deal with ?

Oh my, Florida has had so many ships disembark here, I would not know where to go to count them all.  I have no doubt that more ships and more total passengers disembarked in Florida after the cruise stoppage than in Sydney.  

 

Most of those were ships out doing there usual closedloop cruises from Florida ports and they returned quickly and uneventfully.  As far as I know the time of disembarkation, Covid19 had not been diagnosed on board those ships, however notices later went out to passengers on some ships that patients were later diagnosed.Had this ship been a Florida based vessel doing closed-loop cruises, the ship would have docked sooner with less controversy.

 

 

 

 

 

[A&L_Ont]

10 hours ago, Newleno said:

Yeah that florida governor, hmm bad news, i think there were at least 3 states locked down by the time the springbreakers were spreading the corona, and the florida governor did nothing, the dude is bad news.  Everyone knew the severity at that point, no excuse, none

There were counties within Florida that were locked down before the state was locked down. 

 

9 hours ago, mugtech said:

And now he is finally doing social distancing in Florida, but said it does not apply to religious groups, they are essential services.  He seems determined to, as his DC buddy had recently proclaimed, pack the churches on Easter.  So sorry for Florida having such a person as governor.  He needs to get the US citizens off the ships NOW. 

He locks down the State but yet lets irresponsible pastors hold gatherings with hundreds of people shoulder to shoulder.  If it wasn’t for local counties closing the beaches the state was open for tourist business until when... just yesterday?

 

4 hours ago, sgmn said:

Surely he's been fully briefed on this for the last 4 weeks, why would he say this. At the very least he must read reputable newspapers

His actions don’t show that he has been briefed or at least listened to his advisers.  

 

4 hours ago, gkbiiii said:

Our Florida Governor should stand firm and refuse this vessel.  In addition, Santos should expel Holland America from our ports, as an example of this pathetic political ploy, by Holland America Corp., against the people & State of Florida.  They should lose their privilege to do business in our state and the industry as a whole, needs to leave.  We have Disney, we don't need or really want them.

Just a heads up, Disney has supposedly opened bookings for June 1st.

Edited April 2, 2020 by A&L_Ont

[Starry Eyes]

1 hour ago, Missusdubbya said:

Yes, it is mostly crew remaining on board. 

Another poster said otherwise. Can you cite a source?

[ONECRUISER]

1 hour ago, Milwaukee Eight said:

I thought I heard this morning that those that are sick (fever and symptoms) will remain on the ship for quarantine???  It wasn’t specific regarding nationality. 

Agree, heard same.