More common Pence?

US Vice President Mike Pence flagged “significant changes” would need to be made in the practices of the cruise industry when it comes to battling health crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic currently facing the sector.

Pence suggested enhanced measures would include improved screening protocols and shipboard testing to cope with disease prevention, as well as better ways to transport patients to landbased facilities.

The comments were made following an emergency meeting with CLIA Chair Adam Goldstein, who also conceded the sector would need to “develop a significantly enhanced plan” to better manage the entire cycle of cruise passengers when major disease outbreaks take hold.