US appeals court blocks ruling to suspend CDC cruise ship rules
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Lower-court decision that would have prevented US Centre for Disease Control (CDC) from enforcing its coronavirus cruise-ship rules in the State of Florida has been overturned.
A US appeals court has overturned a decision by a lower state court that said that the CDC could not enforce its coronavirus cruise-ship rules in the State of Florida.
The new decision came about 10 minutes before US District Judge Steven Merryday’s earlier ruling came into effect in Republican-led Florida on Sunday. Judge Merryday’s ruling would have made the CDC’s rules non-binding recommendations rather than mandatory obligations.
The Justice Department said last week in a filing with the appeals court that “there is no basis to lift the COVID-19 health and safety protocols that were developed by (CDC) in collaboration with the cruise ship industry.”