A U.S. appeals court sided with the CDC in allowing the agency to continue imposing conditional sailing rules in Florida.
It overturned an earlier decision by a Florida federal judge who ruled the CDC had exceeded its authority.
The Court of Appeals ruling was filed minutes before the Florida judge’s previous ruling was due to take effect.
The Department of Justice petitioned the appeals hearing that ‘there is no basis to lift the Covid-19 health and safety protocols that were developed in collaboration with the cruise ship industry.’
"The equities overwhelmingly favor allowing the cruise industry to enjoy its first summer season in two years while this court sorts out the CDC’s contentions on appeal," the Florida legal team said.
The CDC last year announced a four-phase conditional framework for cruise lines to resume sailing which includes test sailings.
