Passengers on board two Holland America cruise ships may be allowed to disembark as early as today in South Florida. According to a Broward County Commissioner, final details are being worked out to bring the Zaandam and Rotterdam ships into Port Everglades.
Unified Command conferenced last night and reached cond. approval of Carnival’s Plan, subject to approval between Broward and Carnival. Final document will be released this morning. As of now, ships remain outside US Waters. Look forward to seeing a SAFE plan for all to resolve
— Michael Udine (@Michaeludine) April 2, 2020
This news comes a day after Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, “We view this as a big, big problem, and we do not want to see people dumped in Southern Florida right now.” One idea from DeSantis – only allow Florida residents off the ship.
“My concern is that we have worked so hard to make sure we have adequate hospital space in the event of a Covid-19 surge, we wouldn’t want those valuable beds to be taken because of the cruise ship,” DeSantis said.
Thursday on CNN, Florida Congresswoman Donna Shalala says, in her mind, there was no question about whether to let this ship dock in the United States:
“It is more than humane to allow them to come, it is immoral to not let them come. We need a plan, a healthcare plan, obviously to protect the citizens on the ground and make sure that we test everyone, put them in isolation if necessary. Look, the British, the Germans, no one in the world is turning away Americans if they have coronavirus in their countries. We have to admit them, the sickest ones need to go to our hospitals, and, of course, the hospitals are crowded. We Americans don’t turn people away. we did once, and to our shame, we turned Jewish refugees, desperate Jewish refugees, away, we turned ships away from New York. We will never recover from that shame and in this case, must let people in and we must take care of them… I don’t care whether they’re Florida residents or whether they’re not, they’re human beings.”
“It’s immoral not to let them come” ashore, says Florida Rep. Donna Shalala, as a pair of cruise ships carrying more than 200 people with flu-like symptoms, including eight passengers who tested positive for Covid-19, are expected off the state’s coast https://t.co/xRn0SEKSGh pic.twitter.com/QozCVwcuSg
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) April 2, 2020
This was a sentiment echoed today by Dr. Anthony Fauci.
Dr. Fauci on cruise ships waiting outside of southern Florida carrying passengers believed to be infected with the #coronavirus: “You have to take care of the people who are ill. You just have an obligation to do that. And as quickly as possible.” pic.twitter.com/Xw9GUlclKf
— CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) April 2, 2020
Four people died onboard one of the ships, several others are in the ship’s hospital with symptoms. The CBS affiliate in Miami adds:
The approximately 45 guests who still have mild illness and are unfit to travel at this time will continue to isolate on board until recovered, according to a statement from Holland America.
The Zaandam began its South American voyage from Buenos Aires, Argentina, on March 7 and was originally scheduled to end the sailing in San Antonio, Chile, March 21.
William Burke, chief maritime officer of Carnival Corp., which owns Holland America Line, said Tuesday during a Broward County Commission meeting broadcast live on Vimeo that Port Everglades has become the ships’ “port of last resort.”
Watch more from CBS above.