The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently published updated COVID-19 guidelines related to cruise ships and easing mask requirements for vaccinated people outdoors. The Coast Guard continues to work closely with the CDC for maritime related issues and confirmed with the CDC that the CDC requirements in Marine Safety Information Bulletin (MISB) 02-21 Change 1 remains the most current guidance.

According to the CDC, there is no change related to the requirements for wearing a mask on commercial vessels in Executive Order (13998) issued by the President on January 21, 2021 and the CDC Order under section 361 of the Public Health Service Act. The CDC prevention measures continue to apply to all travelers, including those who are vaccinated. All travelers are
required to wear a mask on all forms of public transportation and at transportation hubs. The Coast Guard will publish updated guidance as CDC requirements change. Additional guidance can be found at the Coast Guard FAQ web page.

For information about this document, mariners can contact the Office of Commercial Vessel Compliance (CG-CVC), U.S. Coast Guard, 2703 Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20593 at wearamask@uscg.mil.

This blog is not a replacement or substitute for the formal posting of regulations and updates or existing processes for receiving formal feedback of the same. Links provided on this blog will direct the reader to official publications, such as the Federal Register, Homeport and the Code of Federal Regulations. These publications remain the official source for regulatory information published by the Coast Guard.