The Covid-19 virus isn’t going away
Covid-19 deaths surpass 200,000 in the UK and a huge breakout on a cruise in Australia reminds us all that the virus isn’t going away…
It’s that time of year when everybody is going away on holiday, with many choosing cruising as a preferred option. Having been restricted over the past two years by travel and the requirements for Covid-19 testing, finding the ideal holiday, and controlling family costs alongside the desire to get away and cope with the cost of living is an ever-present challenge.
Recent news has highlighted the problems with getting away on airlines due to ongoing challenges with capacity in some airports resulting in cancellations and travel companies having to make alternative arrangements as well as refund many unhappy tourists. Cruising is perhaps one of the better options to consider given that many voyages can be accessed from homeports while still enabling the opportunity to visit several different locations and to experience safe travel within the confines of a more protected on-board environment.
However, even cruising isn’t fool proof. It was recently reported in Newsbreak that a Covid-19 outbreak ‘ripped’ through a cruise ship sailing from Queensland to New South Wales in Australia, leaving dozens of infected guests isolated onboard. The ship is now docked in Sydney. The outbreak led to Princess Cruises offering refunds to those booked on its 12-day trip.
The cruise industry needs to understand that the virus isn’t going away and that there are more effective ways to test passengers and mitigate the risk of spreading the virus before departure and while onboard.
Travellers want to be reassured that all reasonable steps have been taken to reduce the risk of contracting Covid-19, knowing that it will never be possible to remove the risk entirely. Offering access to testing and monitoring which empowers customers, employees, and people at home to take personal responsibility protesting can significantly reduce the likelihood of localised outbreaks and keep infection rates under control when outbreaks are observed.
This can be achieved by offering simple solutions and embracing technology to monitor infection rates in all walks of life and it is particularly pertinent when bringing groups of people together in more closed and confined spaces.
Cruising is such an example where, if managed effectively, you can bring travelling clients together in a safe and accessible way which need not be subject to breakouts onboard but can instead provide a safer environment within which people can enjoy access to wonderful experiences, medical support, and plenty of places to visit without the need for expensive and unpredictable travel nightmares.
There is no getting away from the fact that Covid-19 is here to stay, and the future is very unpredictable in terms of new variants, infection rates, hospital admissions, and the general impact all of this will have on our day-to-day lives including going on holiday.
For more information on how testing and monitoring services can be deployed in cruise liners, businesses, events, and venues or at home, please contact us to learn more – 0191 6053140.
