Majestic Princess cruise slammed by health experts after 800 Covid passengers disembark in Sydney

Covid doomsayers have slammed a decision to allow 800 infected holidaymakers off a cruise ship after it docked in Sydney.

The Majestic Princess sailed into Circular Quay at 6am on Saturday before allowing all its 3,300 guests and 1,300 crew to disembark despite a Covid outbreak on board.

Cruise line bosses said the cases showed mild symptoms or were asymptomatic and encouraged them to take private transport so they could isolate at home.

Top health experts have been left infuriated claiming the move will lead to increased cases, put more strain on hospitals, and cause more deaths in the community.

Covid doomsayers have slammed a decision to allow 800 infected holidaymakers off a cruise ship after it docked in Sydney

Cruise line bosses said the cases showed mild symptoms or were asymptomatic and encouraged them to take private transport so they could isolate at home (pictured, passenger leaves cruise ship on Saturday)

Cruise line bosses said the cases showed mild symptoms or were asymptomatic and encouraged them to take private transport so they could isolate at home (pictured, passenger leaves cruise ship on Saturday) 

Top health experts have been left infuriated claiming the move will lead to increased cases, put more strain on hospitals, and cause more deaths in the community

Top health experts have been left infuriated claiming the move will lead to increased cases, put more strain on hospitals, and cause more deaths in the community

Outraged Australian Medical Association president Steve Robson tweeted: ‘Here’s a prediction I’m going to put money behind. 

‘If the major public hospitals on the east coast aren’t overwhelmed with patients and facing staff shortages over the holiday break – I’ll donate $1000 to charity.’

Professor Robson is a staunch supporter of Covid mandates and spoke out when the federal government made the decision to reduce the isolation time period in September, before they scrapped it altogether in October.

He also backs the use of face masks even though it is no longer mandatory, with weary residents keen to move on from the pandemic and leave behind all the exhausting mandates.    

Immunologist Alan Baxter labelled it an ‘abject failure’ on the part of politicians for failing to intervene in the Majestic Princess debacle.

‘As a medical practitioner who trained in the 1980’s, this total and abject failure of our politicians to respond in a safe manner to COVID,’ he wrote on Twitter.

‘Never mind ‘safe’ – this isn’t even sane. Blood is on their hands.’

A number of experts took issue with the fact the Majestic Princess intended to go ahead with its eight-day trip to Tasmania later in the afternoon.

Passengers have already begun queuing to board the vessel with the cruise liner first undergoing a deep clean before accepting holidaymakers onboard.

Professor Marc Tennant AM slammed the news in a short tweet: ‘Well I have seen it all. I am lost for words.’

Infectious diseases specialist Dr Noor Bari explained cruise liners may have precautions in place to handle outbreaks, but even their resources were limited.

The Majestic Princess sailed into Circular Quay at 6am on Saturday before allowing all its 3,300 guests and 1,300 crew to disembark despite a Covid outbreak on board

The Majestic Princess sailed into Circular Quay at 6am on Saturday before allowing all its 3,300 guests and 1,300 crew to disembark despite a Covid outbreak on board 

A top health expert said they expected hospitals to be overwhelmed within the next few weeks

A top health expert said they expected hospitals to be overwhelmed within the next few weeks

‘As you can see, some cruise ships have put effort into upgrading their systems,’ she wrote on Twitter.

‘Problem is, when you have 800 cases of disease on board, that is a HUGE viral load to clean. Lot of energy required. Difficult to clean it all.’ 

Uninfected passengers were allowed to disembark from the Majestic Princess first before positive Covid cases were allowed to step off later in the morning.

The precautions appeared to have fallen short with many of the positive cases seen mingling with uninfected passengers off the ship. 

Positive cases have been asked to avoid using public transport to reduce the risk of spreading the virus among the general public.

They were assisted by the cruise liner in organising private transport so they could be sent home to isolate – even though it is not necessary for positive cases to self-quarantine after mandatory isolation was scrapped on October 14. 

The cruise ship Majestic Princess with 800 Covid-infected passengers on board docking in Sydney

The cruise ship Majestic Princess with 800 Covid-infected passengers on board docking in Sydney

A passenger standing on the balcony on the side of the Majestic Princess after it docked in Sydney on Saturday morning

A passenger standing on the balcony on the side of the Majestic Princess after it docked in Sydney on Saturday morning

Eager holidaymakers who were waiting in the Overseas Passenger Terminal for their trip to Tasmania have been told to leave and return at 4.30pm – indicating the departure has been delayed.

They have also been advised to wear face masks, use hand sanitiser and observe social distancing.

Port Macquarie retirees Ian and Jayne Slater say they are still looking forward to the trip despite the recent outbreak.

‘We are excited, we’ve been waiting for this and nothing about it worries us,’ Mrs Slater said. 

Ambulance crews waited nearby as the cruise ship docked in Sydney Harbour in the early hours of the morning. 

NSW Health deemed the ship a ‘tier three’ Covid risk level, which is the highest categorisation on a cruise ship, meaning there is a ‘high level of transmission’.

Ambulance crews waited nearby as the cruise ship docked with the first wave of uninfected guests leaving the vessel wearing face masks

Ambulance crews waited nearby as the cruise ship docked with the first wave of uninfected guests leaving the vessel wearing face masks

Almost one in four guests have been infected with the virus making it the largest outbreak on a cruise ship since the Ruby Princess in 2020 which led to more than 600 positive cases and 28 deaths. 

Carnival Australia president Marguerite Fitzgerald said the cruise liner was well prepared to handle an outbreak.

‘We have been proactively preparing for and managing incidences of COVID-19 and working with NSW Health,’ she said.

‘We started to see elevated cases about half way through this voyage.’ 

Most of the positive cases have experienced mild symptoms or were asymptomatic. 

It comes as Australia enters its fourth wave of Covid with infections predicted to skyrocket as the new BQ.1 and XBB strains become the dominant variant.

Infectious disease expert professor Robert Booy eased concerns saying Australia was better equipped to handle new outbreaks.

The Majestic Princess arrived at Circular Quay carrying 3,300 guests and 1,300 crew at about 6am on Saturday (stock image of the Majestic Princess)

The Majestic Princess arrived at Circular Quay carrying 3,300 guests and 1,300 crew at about 6am on Saturday (stock image of the Majestic Princess)

‘The advice is to either go and get a booster and, if you do end up with COVID-19, get that anti-viral as quick as you can, if you are eligible… It can stop the virus in its tracks,’ he told Channel Nine’s Today.

‘Most people have got immunity from both infection and vaccination and a combination is called a hybrid, which is really quite strong.’

Holidaymaker Sharon Leslie and her husband Steven said cruise ship workers had acted quickly when the first passengers became infected.

‘We felt safe most of the time … they were cleaning the whole time,’ Mrs Leslie said.

‘It’s just disappointing for the cruise industry … and towards the end it did spoil things a bit.’ 

Another passenger accused the cruise liner of not doing enough as passengers were left unsupervised when they were given a rapid antigen test before leaving the ship.

‘You just provided evidence of the negative test and that was that,’ they said. ‘There would be people faking negative tests to get off the ship.’ 

While Covid infections have recently risen in Australia, former deputy chief medical officer Dr Nick Coatsworth declined to talk about the latest wave, saying it is time to ‘move on’ from the pandemic.

Passengers on board the Majestic Princess who aren’t infected were told to wear face masks as they disembarked the vessel.

Princess Cruises senior vice president Stuart Allison said the company was helping positive cases arrange transport and accommodation so they could isolate (stock image)

Princess Cruises senior vice president Stuart Allison said the company was helping positive cases arrange transport and accommodation so they could isolate (stock image)

A 'fourth wave' of Covid infections has been seen in Australia but residents have been urged not to panic (stock image)

A ‘fourth wave’ of Covid infections has been seen in Australia but residents have been urged not to panic (stock image)

Princess Cruises confirmed some guests had tested positive while on the 12-night trip to New Zealand.

‘These guests are mildly symptomatic or asymptomatic and are isolating in their staterooms,’ the company said in a statement.

‘We have been proactively preparing for and managing incidences of Covid-19 and continue to work closely with NSW Health including adhering to their guidelines.’

Rules for cruise ships on the eastern seaboard state that those who test positive on board ‘must isolate for five full days from the date of their positive test result’. 

Those on board who tested positive received medical care while those disembarking first have already taken a rapid antigen test.

Princess Cruises senior vice president Stuart Allison said the company was helping positive cases arrange transport and accommodation so they could isolate.

‘We also have a range of strict and robust measures in place to ensure our guests and crew are safe, as well as ensuring we limit the exposure of current cases in the community,’ she said. 

It comes after NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant urged Australians to make sure they were up to date with their vaccinations.

She said there was a ‘fourth wave’ of Covid infections sweeping across the country, but infections were set to peak and then drop in a matter of weeks.

‘The [new Covid] wave is taking off with some trajectory, it will be quite a steep wave and hopefully the decline will be equally as steep,’ Dr Chant told the ABC.

Dr Chant said there was a 'fourth wave' of Covid infections sweeping across the country, but infections were set to peak and then drop in a matter of weeks

Dr Chant said there was a ‘fourth wave’ of Covid infections sweeping across the country, but infections were set to peak and then drop in a matter of weeks

Dr Chant added that she expects the fourth Covid wave to drop off before December 25 (stock image)

Dr Chant added that she expects the fourth Covid wave to drop off before December 25 (stock image)

Health officials and experts have said most Australians should get on with their lives despite the arrival of a fourth Covid wave

Health officials and experts have said most Australians should get on with their lives despite the arrival of a fourth Covid wave

‘That’s why it’s important the community takes these protective measures now and I can’t stress the urgency – if you’re going to get vaccinated do it immediately.’

Dr Chant added that she expects the fourth Covid wave to drop off before December 25.

‘The wave may well peak before Christmas and we may be on the decline,’ she said.

Cases have risen in NSW, Victoria and Queensland, with the Sunshine State recommending masks be worn in some indoor settings.

The state also recommended residents to take a test every two days if they are living with someone who has tested positive to Covid.

The ABC’s chief health correspondent, Dr Norman Swan, said Australia had moved ‘into the next wave’ and gave a grim warning of further deaths.

‘[Cases are] going up, Victoria and NSW 20 per cent in the last week, South Australia 27 per cent, Tasmania 40 per cent,’ he told RN Breakfast on Friday.

‘It’s really hard to tell the death statistics at the moment, sadly they will follow.’

The state also recommended residents to take a test every two days if they are living with someone who has tested positive to Covid (stock image)

The state also recommended residents to take a test every two days if they are living with someone who has tested positive to Covid (stock image)

But Dr Coatsworth has urged Aussies to ‘move on’ from the pandemic while Deakin University epidemiology chair Catherine Bennett said ‘being fearful isn’t the answer’ when it came to an influx in infections.

‘Get on and do your normal things,’ she told Daily Mail Australia.

‘Panic never helps in my view. Being aware of risk changing and responding to that, and managing it, is the best thing you can do.’

Professor Bennett acknowledged residents should be mindful of the latest wave.

‘We are seeing numbers, particularly hospitalisations, push up across country,’ she said.

‘We know from data from overseas, adding Covid variants into the mix, pushes up transmission rates. What it means for individuals is that their exposure risk goes up.’

Professor Bennett said it was important residents listened to the advice from health professionals, received their booster, but not to make drastic changes to their lives.

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