Tag Archives: Virus

Government commits to testing ‘to open up international travel’

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The launch of a Global Travel Taskforce ‘to open up international travel and boost our business’ has been confirmed.
It will consider how a testing regime for international arrivals could be implemented to boost safe travel to and from the UK, what steps can be taken to facilitate business and leisure travel through testing and non-testing means and how to increase consumer confidence to support the recovery of international travel.


The current rules around the 14-day self-isolation policy remain in place.
The task force was launched in collaboration between the Department for Transport and the Department of Health and Social Care which said they have been working with clinicians, health experts and the private testing sector on the practicalities of testing international arrivals.


They said the next step is to develop an “operationalised approach” to “work at pace with industry on implementation” of testing and to “identify options to reduce the self-isolation period while protecting public health”.
The task force will look at the feasibility of a single test taken after a period of self-isolation, provided by the private sector and at the cost of the passenger.


It will work with medical experts to better understand when a test should be taken based on the progression of the disease and with the private sector to ensure testing for international arrivals does not impact on NHS capacity.


Alternative testing models, including pilots with partner countries to determine whether self-isolation could be undertaken pre-departure, will also be explored.
The taskforce will be jointly chaired by the secretary of state for health, Matt Hancock, and transport secretary Grant Shapps, who first made the announcement via Twitter after a series of newspapers carried the story on Wednesday morning.


In the official announcement, Shapps said: “The current measures at the border have saved lives. Our understanding of the science now means we can intensify efforts to develop options for a testing regime and help reinvigorate our world-leading travel sector.
“This new task force will not only help us move towards safer, smoother international travel as we continue to battle this virus but will also support global connectivity – helping facilitate more covid secure travel whilst protecting the population from imported cases.”
On Twitter, he said: “Following agreement from medical experts, we are moving ahead with the next step to reduce the travel quarantine period by launching the Global Travel Taskforce to open up international travel & boost our businesses.
“The task force will implement a testing regime to reduce the self-isolation period, along with a wide range of other measures to enable travel whilst keeping coronavirus rates down.”

Hancock added: “It is vital we do everything we can to control the spread of the virus and our measures at the borders are designed to help keep the country safe, by preventing imported cases of Covid-19.
“We know how these measures have a significant impact on people’s lives and on the travel and tourism industries, so we are working hard across government to explore ways to open up international travel in a safe way.”
As previously reported, the task force is expected to put forward its initial recommendations next month.

BVI Reopens to Visitors on Dec. 1

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The British Virgin Islands has announced its borders will be opened to visitors on December 1, according to Premier and Minister of Finance, Honourable Andrew A. Fahie.

He said that the government is optimistic and is vigorously preparing for the re-opening of the territory to welcome back tourists among others.

Premier Fahie said: “The territory has two full months to prepare and we as a people must get it right and we must get it done by all working together, both the Government and private sector.”

The Premier said that the government intends to reopen the territory in the safest way possible using science and technology as a guide.

“This next phase also comes with a risk factor, where if a case of COVID-19 gets into our Territory, then it can go through the whole community very quickly. That is why we must use technology,” he said. “The concentration must be to use the technology through a simulation prior, to demonstrate that the technology will complement the science to greatly assist us in re-opening in the safest way, humanly possible.

“Please note that we who are in the Virgin Islands must also play our part and play it well to ensure that we adhere to all approved social distancing measures. This will also reduce or eliminate any possible spread of the virus.”

Genting Cruise pioneers infection prevention certification

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A DNV GL surveyor has multiple assessments to complete for CIP-M certification
A solution has been launched to help the cruise industry resume sailing after the Covid-19-induced global shutdown

Genting Cruise Lines has become the first maritime customer of DNV GL’s certification in infection prevention (CIP-M) for one of its passenger ships.

Together, Genting and DNV GL are working towards providing CIP-M certification for cruise ship Explorer Dream, operated under the Dream Cruises brand.

More cruise ships and operators are expected to follow this example to certify cleanliness and healthcare on their liners as owners attempt to return operations to pre-crisis levels.

This new certification was introduced as cruise shipping is reeling from extreme effects of the global coronavirus pandemic and resultant worldwide travel restrictions. Cruise ships have been at the forefront of the global Covid-19 infections, initially as centres for coronavirus outbreaks and passenger deaths.

As travel restrictions are gradually lifted, the cruise industry hopes to resume ship operations and attract passengers again. For this it needs to inspire confidence in health and safety on its ships.

“The Covid-19 crisis has been unprecedented in its impact on the maritime industry, and on the cruise lines in particular,” said DNV GL chief executive for maritime Knut Ørbeck-Nilssen.

“But I hope that with innovative ideas like CIP-M we can help the industry get moving again in a way that gives passengers and crew confidence that exacting measures are in place to enhance the cruise industry’s already rigorous health and safety standards,” he explained.

CIP-M enables cruise ship operators to demonstrate they have procedures and systems in place to prevent, control and mitigate infection to protect their passengers and crews.

“CIP-M was inspired by health experts and has been tailored for maritime,” said Mr Ørbeck-Nilssen during a press briefing. “It meets the statutory requirements to restore passenger and industry confidence. It is a move forward as a holistic solution to the pressing challenges our industry faces.”

CIP-M builds on DNV GL Healthcare’s work in infection risk management, which includes working with 3,500 healthcare organisations, including certifying 640 hospitals worldwide.

Experts from DNV GL’s Cruise Center in Miami customised the healthcare CIP for use in a maritime setting in co-operation with DNV GL’s Business Assurance division.

CIP-M integrates maritime specific standards, such as the US Centre for Disease Control and Prevention’s vessel sanitation programme, and incorporates national and industry guidelines.

The certification surveys and audits are performed by DNV GL surveyor teams of healthcare infection prevention and control experts together with experienced maritime auditors.

Genting Cruise Lines president Kent Zhu expects CIP-M certification to improve passenger confidence in its ability to prevent infections. “With consumers’ heightened expectations on safety and well-being, the customised CIP-M certification will indeed further boost consumers’ confidence in cruising as we recommence operations in the very near future. At Genting Cruise Lines, the safety and well-being of our guests and crew are of paramount importance to us,” he continued.

“From the onset of the pandemic, Genting Cruise Lines has been at the forefront in enhancing its preventive and safety measures with the Covid-19 pandemic in mind.

We were the first in the industry to launch and introduce our enhanced measures, which we will adopt as the new safety normal for our fleet and we hope for the industry too.”

CIP-M assessment of Genting Cruise Lines has already kicked off with a re-assessment of the company’s management system, to be followed by a certification survey of Explorer Dream. Genting expects the certification programme to be successfully completed by the end of June.

As part of the CIP-M certification, DNV GL assesses vessel operations, including enhanced sanitation procedures, food preparation and handling, physical distancing requirements and personal protective equipment use by crew members. DNV GL also evaluates maintenance of public health essential systems, emergency response plans, pre-boarding screening, embarkation and debarkation processes, and itinerary or port planning protocols.

Annual surveys on board and company audit ashore are conducted to verify continued compliance and improvement.