The legal battle between Florida and the CDC is headed for the appeals court.
The U.S. Department of Justice legal team filed an appeal after a federal district judge sided with Florida and issued a temporary injunction against the CDC’s conditional sail order.
DoJ attorneys asked for a stay of the injunction while the appeal moves forward.
"The conditional sailing order is an important tool in ensuring that cruise ship operations do not exacerbate the spread of dangerous variants during this inflection point in the pandemic," the motion for a stay said.
"It does not shut down the cruise industry but instead provides a sensible, flexible framework for reopening, based on the best available scientific evidence."
U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday last month ruled that the CDC had overstepped its authority with the CSO.
Merryday said ‘Covid-19 no longer threatens the public’s health to the same extent presented at the start of the pandemic or when CDC issued the conditional sailing order.’
The CDC issued the conditional sailing order, which includes phased requirements to resuming cruising, including test cruises in some cases.
