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The order, issued last October, mandated testing and some additional safeguards for crew members as part of a framework for a phased resumption of cruises.
The public health agency said the extension includes minor changes and when the order is lifted it will shift to a “voluntary program” and work alongside ship operators to control COVID-19 numbers aboard cruise ships.
The highly contagious variant had earlier this year led to a surge in infections and hospitalizations in the United States, but cases have started to decrease in recent weeks.
The CDC had in May initiated a key step for the eventual resumption of U.S. cruise industry operations by issuing new technical instructions.
