EU may force over-65s to ‘get a doctor’s note’ before going on cruise ships

New EU rules may force over 65-year-olds to get permission from their GP before they’re allowed to go on a cruise, according to Express.

Passengers in older age groups are a huge customer base for cruise lines with many trips targeted at older couples, individuals and families. However, new EU documents seem to suggest older travellers may need a doctor’s note to travel in future. To prepare for the cruise industry to get up and running the European Union has released a document full of measures to take that will increase safety.

The document was written alongside Healthy GateWays and co-funded by the Health Programme of the European Union.

It applies to point of entry of ships in the European Union and EEA member states and was titled “Interim advice for restarting cruise ship operations after lifting restrictive measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

In it, advice for high risk groups seems to suggest special precautions including, potentially, a doctor’s note for the elderly.

Those who are 70 or over have been deemed to be clinically vulnerable to the illness.

So have those with asthma, heart disease, diabetes, those who have a BMI of 40 or above, are pregnant or are taking steroids.

According to Express, the document reads: “Passengers in high risk groups including people over 65 years of age or people of any age with underlying medical conditions should be advised to visit a doctor for pre-travel medical consultation to assess if they are fit to travel.”

The advice also recommended activities on board be organised by age group: “Activities and services on board cruise ships could be organized according to age group, so that older individuals are separated from other age groups. Crew members in high risk groups could work in positions where there is little or no interaction with other individuals. Moreover, advanced respiratory protection may be used specifically by crew members belonging to vulnerable groups.”

It is not known how long these precautions could be in place.

Read the full article online.