(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - The Alaska Marine Highway System (AMHS) announced this afternoon The AMHS is required to immediately report any illness of persons on board our vessels to the U.S. Coast Guard and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A new boarding process has been put in place to avoid disruptions to service or a situation involving passengers quarantined aboard ship.

Travelers will be observed by AMHS staff during the ticketing and boarding process. If a traveler exhibits symptoms consistent with COVID-19 or other flu-like illnesses, they will not be allowed to board and will receive a full refund. AMHS is allowing customers to cancel any existing reservations without fees or penalties from now through April 8, 2020.

The health and well-being of passengers and crew is a top priority for AMHS. Quoting a news release, in response to the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), the AMHS is following federal government guidance to clean and disinfect the AMHS ships and terminals.

Intensified cleaning of AMHS terminal facilities;

• Virox wipes are used to clean high touch areas; such as ticket counter/window areas, doors and tables.
• All terminal restrooms are disinfected three times per day and wiped down routinely throughout the day.
• There is a no contact policy between employees and customers - employees will distance themselves from customers when assisting.
• Our employees will follow a sanitization protocol after handling customers' hand luggage, boxes and freight.
• Our employees will not be handling credit cards, they will request that customers read their credit card details.
• Signage with protocol for boarding vessels is being added to terminals and boarding areas.

Immediate steps already implemented onboard AMHS vessels;

• All public restrooms are disinfected three times per day and wiped down routinely throughout the day.
• High touch areas such as handrails, countertops, door handles, drinking fountains and vending machines are sanitized several times per day.
• AMHS has temporarily removed certain food items such as; salad bars, self-serve and unwrapped food items from our cafes. These items can be requested from the cook, server or cashier.
• AMHS is providing regular training to our crew regarding the CDC advised cleaning practices.
• AMHS is using the CDC recommended disinfecting and sanitizing products.

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Alaska Dept. of Transportation
www.dot.alaska.gov

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