Cruise lines increase boarding screening to detect sick passengers

CLIA Lines Enhance Swine Flu Screening Protocols
Published on: May 4, 2009

The Cruise Lines International Association said its member lines have adopted and begun employing enhanced screening procedures on a global basis to help prevent the introduction and/or spread of Influenza A (H1N1) on cruise ships. Under the new CLIA health screening protocols, all passengers will be required to complete and sign a written questionnaire prior to boarding a CLIA-member cruise ship anywhere in the world. “The health and safety of all cruise passengers is of utmost importance to all Cruise Lines International Association member lines,” said Terry Dale, CLIA president and CEO. “The cruise industry is taking these proactive steps out of an abundance of caution to identify, isolate and treat any suspect Influenza A (H1N1) -- commonly called swine flu -- cases as appropriate. We will continue to review these protocols and the need for any further actions as necessary.”


All passengers will be required to complete the new public health questionnaire prior to boarding at any port. Under the enhanced screening protocols, CLIA-member lines will perform a secondary screening if a passenger reports on the questionnaire flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, runny nose or sore throat, or contact with a confirmed Influenza A (H1N1) case. Medical personnel at each cruise line will make case-by-case decisions regarding the boarding of these passengers. Passengers will not be permitted to travel if they exhibit influenza-like illness or meet the suspect case conditions for Influenza A (H1N1) as defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov/swineflu/casedef_swineflu.htm). All other passengers will be permitted to travel. The industry instituted similar global screening protocols in the past during the outbreak of SARS in Asia.

Dale noted that the World Health Organization (WHO) has said that H1N1 is already widespread and that the public health priority is to mitigate the further spread of the virus. He said that the enhanced health screening protocols were designed to do just that while protecting passengers, crew and ports of call. Further, medical staff will isolate and treat passengers and crew with flu symptoms. CLIA-member lines that operate internationally will maintain appropriate medical support equipment and medications, including anti-viral medications that are effective in treating flu. The new screening protocols augment comprehensive vessel sanitation and public health surveillance procedures already employed by the industry, and subject to inspection by CDC in the U.S., that reduce the potential for transmission of contagious diseases including H1N1. These practices include the use of recommended disinfectants, surveillance and treatment of illnesses like influenza, isolation of sick passengers, food safety sanitation protocols, and consultation with public health authorities.