Forum: Cruises pose greater risk of Covid-19 transmission

Royal Caribbean's Quantum of the Seas ship. PHOTO: ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL

The Singapore Tourism Board has announced that cruises will be allowed to resume from next month (Restarting cruises - boost for economy, but not plain sailing, Oct 9).

I concede that it is difficult to strike a balance between boosting our economy on the one hand and preserving our people's health and well-being on the other.

However, given how new waves of the coronavirus have struck again in other parts of the world after stringent rules to contain its spread began to be relaxed, giving priority to boosting the economy should not be an option.

Whatever pre-boarding safety checks and other marketing assurances have been offered to entice passengers to book the "cruise to nowhere" experience, the fact of the matter is that expert medical opinion - including from the United States' Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) - unambiguously warns against settings such as embarking on cruises.

More pointedly, the CDC categorically stated that cruise ships pose a greater risk of Covid-19 transmission than other settings.

Given the potential danger to Singapore as a whole, the restarting of cruises should be reviewed and delayed if necessary.

Prevention is better than cure. It is better to be safe than sorry.

Hussin Mutalib (Dr)

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on October 12, 2020, with the headline Cruises pose greater risk of Covid-19 transmission. Subscribe