Sturgeon adviser: ‘Don’t go on cruise ship ever’

ONE of Nicola Sturgeon’s key Covid advisers has said people should permanently avoid cruise ships because of the potential for infections to spread on board.

Devi Sridhar told the Edinburgh International Book Festival yesterday: “I would say, as a public health person, don’t go on a cruise ship ever.”

The Professor of Global Public Health at the University of Edinburgh had been discussing UK Government advice in the early days of the pandemic.

Despite China instituting lockdowns, “the only advice was, like, don’t go on cruise ships if you’re over 70, and I’m not joking,” she said.

Prof Sridhar, who in February 2020 described cruise ships as “floating germ factories”, went on: “I would say, as a public health person, don’t go on a cruise ship ever.

“I know, that’s going to get me in trouble.

“The cruise industry lobbyists wrote to me very upset about my comments about cruise ships.

“But I just think cruise ships and infectious diseases are… they’re not meant to go together.”

Some of the first highprofile outbreaks outside China hit cruise ships.

The British-registered Diamond Princess was quarantined for weeks after several passengers tested positive.

The virus infected 712 of the 3,711 passengers and crew and 14 died.

When it returned to the UK, passengers then fell ill and spread the infection on land as well.

Before the pandemic, Scottish ports served 27 cruise lines operating 67 different vessels.

In 2019, there were almost 900 calls and over 800,000 cruise passengers visiting Scotland.

A recent report said the Scottish cruise industry supported more than 800 workers and generated £23m for the economy, helping to extend the tourist season in Orkney and Shetland.