The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has appealed a federal judge's order backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis' reducing COVID-19 regulations to recommendations.
DeSantis, a Republican, has fought the federal government's restrictions on cruise ships, which has effectively restarted the cruise industry in his travel-heavy state.
The CDC requested U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday's June 18 order siding with DeSantis to be reversed amid their repeal, arguing the cruise line restrictions should be more than recommendations to stop the spread of COVID-19.
"This court's order creates a substantial risk that cruise ships will exacerbate the introduction and spread of the virus in the United States," the CDC's appeal read, The Hill reported.
Merryday ruled the CDC did not provide enough justification to dictate the restrictions on its "conditional sail order," which reduces the restrictions to mere recommendations as of July 18.
Also, under the ruling, the CDC had until July 22 to propose a "narrower injunction" to keep its authority in working to "safeguard the public's health."
The CDC appeal argued that its authority to protect to the public health should stand against the governor's denial.
"The Conditional Sailing Order ('CSO') is an important tool in ensuring that cruise ship operations do not exacerbate the spread of dangerous variants during this inflection point in the pandemic," the CDC appeal read, the Miami Herald reported. "It does not shut down the cruise industry but instead provides a sensible, flexible framework for re-opening, based on the best available scientific evidence."
Cruise ships have begun operating in Florida under the CDC restrictions, with 12 ships approved to resume revenue operations and 13 for test cruises under those guidelines.
"The CDC has been wrong all along, and they knew it," DeSantis said in a statement last month, rebuking the restrictions as a CDC attempt to "sink" the important travel industry in Florida. "Today, we are securing this victory for Florida families, for the cruise industry, and for every state that wants to preserve its rights in the face of unprecedented federal overreach."
A Royal Caribbean test cruise had eight crew members test positive for COVID-19 and it had been shut down to comply with the CDC order, according to the Herald.