Dr. Grant Tarling, chief medical officer for Carnival Corp. & plc, said the checks were beginning at US ports this weekend as the industry ramps up to do checks on all guests at ports worldwide.
This will take a little time, Tarling added, given the need to acquire and install thermal scanners at cruise terminals.
As earlier reported here, lines in the Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. group and Carnival Cruise Line gave notice on Friday that they were instituting the temperature checks.
Mike Pence meeting
On Saturday, cruise line leaders met with US Vice President Mike Pence at Port Everglades to discuss the industry's coronavirus response.
'It is critical Americans continue to travel'
In brief public remarks before the meeting got under way, CLIA Chairman Adam Goldstein said that given the significance of travel and tourism, it is 'critical Americans continue to travel' and yet COVID-19 is an 'unprecedented situation.'
More stringent screening, paying for treatment of sick guests/crew
Goldstein pledged the industry's commitment to work closely with the government and to 'go above and beyond, to screen even more stringently [for] those who should not be aboard; to monitor, test and care for those who are on board; and to transition and help pay for any sick guests or crew to move to locations staffed and equipped to handle COVID-19 cases.
'We will work aggressively with government to further develop and strengthen all necessary protocols for prevention, for detection and for care,' he added.
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