The world just got its first cruise ship with a COVID-19 testing lab. The Viking Star cruise ship is the first of its kind as it has an on board PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) laboratory for travellers.
The cruise ship that accommodates as many as 930 guests allows large scale testing facility. The PCR testing facility requires just a swab sample that can detect antigens.
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The luxury cruise ship is set to launch on December 2021. It is scheduled to move around the world for 136 days. The cruise will make stops at 56 ports in 27 countries across the world. With so much movement and a large number of passengers, the lab is the perfect move by a cruise company and may be a game changer in reviving cruises.
The announcement comes at a time when the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) removed its No-Sail Order for cruises to sail in the US territory. Members of the Cruise Lines International Association have also come up with a set of new rules and regulations for smooth sailing during this pandemic. The most important rule, of course, is that all passengers need to prove that they are COVID-19 negative.