American leisure travel company, Carnival Corporation, has extended an offer to governments and health authorities to use some of their ships as temporary hospitals. The company wants ships to be used for non-COVID-19 patients, in order to free up capacity at normal hospitals for COVID-19 postitive patients.
Included in their selected ships are those from some of their global cruise line brands including Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia.
Along with @CarnivalPLC below is our latest announcement on how we are extending help to governments & health authorities during this time. @HALcruises @PrincessCruises @pandocruises pic.twitter.com/fuoFRgDEY3
— Carnival Cruise Line (@CarnivalCruise) March 19, 2020
We, along with select cruise lines within our corporation, are offering assistance to governments and health authorities during this time by utilizing our ships as temporary care facilities for non-COVID-19 patients. Learn more: https://t.co/6hEnWvQi7V pic.twitter.com/36CVH4prnE
— Princess Cruises (@PrincessCruises) March 20, 2020
We are proud @CarnivalPLC is offering assistance to communities around the world. Holland America Line, @CarnivalCruise @PrincessCruises ships will be available for use as temporary hospitals to help treat non-COVID-19 patients: https://t.co/H9qZy3Q1DV #OneTravelIndustry pic.twitter.com/yago63IbiP
— Holland America Line (@HALcruises) March 20, 2020
“With the continued spread of COVID-19 expected to exert added pressure on land-based healthcare facilities, including a possible shortage of hospital beds, Carnival Corporation and its brands are calling on governments and health authorities to consider using cruise ships as temporary healthcare facilities to treat non-COVID-19 patients, freeing up additional space and expanding capacity in land-based hospitals to treat cases of COVID-19. As part of the offer, interested parties will be asked to cover only the essential costs of the ship’s operations while in port,” said Carnival Corporation in a statement.
According to the statement, their cruise ships can quickly be turned into hospitals with about 1 000 rooms to treat less critical, non-coronavirus related conditions. The hospital rooms would include remote patient monitoring devices which would provide cardiac, respiratory, oxygen saturation and video monitoring capabilities.
Isolation facilities and intensive care units will also be included.
The company intends to dock ships in piers close to where they are needed and says that they will be operated by the ship’s crew. All normal operations including food and cleaning will be included.
“Medical services would be provided by the government entity or hospital responsible for fighting the spread of COVID-19 within that community,” they said.
Carnival Corporation have urged governments and health authorities to contact them if they are interested in taking the offer. They are willing to assist health care systems worldwide.
Picture: Twitter / Carnival Corporation
