COVID-19 Travel Update

1. Ship disinfection and cleaning procedures

• The ship is cleaned and disinfected during the temporary disembarkation at intermediate passenger stations and after disembarking at the end of the voyage and before boarding new passengers and starting a new voyage.
• There will be at least 3 hours between the two excursions to properly disinfect and clean the boat.
• Instructions for the cleanliness and disinfection of the premises are given in the circular 30/3 / 2020 No. Prot. Δ1γ / Γ.Π / οικ.21536 of the Ministry of Health, on the subject: “Application of cleaning and disinfection measures in vessels in case of transport of suspected or confirmed Covid-19 case”.
• At the entrance of the ship there should be a station of antiseptics (70% alcohol content) as well as at the entrance of the internal covered areas of the ship.
• It is recommended that online transactions, orders, purchases of services and goods, equipment, and telephone communication be preferred as much as possible.
• After use, gloves should be discarded immediately in plastic bags of waste bins and no attempt should be made to clean them, eg washing disposable gloves and reusing them. It should be noted that the use of disposable gloves in no way replaces hand washing.
• Meticulous application of standard cleaning work, emphasizing the frequent cleaning of smooth surfaces used frequently (eg knobs, handles, handrail of stairs or railings, elevators, switches, taps, etc.) with common cleaners, ie liquid soap and water, or a 10% homemade bleach solution (1 part homemade bleach diluted in 10 parts water) or an alcoholic antiseptic.

• The plastic bags of the bins, when filled, must be tightly tied and removed immediately.
• For surfaces that may be damaged by the use of sodium hypochlorite, it is necessary to use ethanol at a concentration of 70% after cleaning with a neutral detergent.
• To clean and disinfect all hard surfaces, floors, chairs, knobs, etc., cloths / fabrics should be used or cleaning paper as well as detachable mop sponges. Fabrics / cloths, paper and mop heads should be discarded after each use in special bags and treated as contaminated waste if the cleaning involves areas where a confirmed case has passed.

2. Instructions to employees

A. Employees enter the workplace when:

• They do NOT show symptoms of acute respiratory infection (cough, fever, sore throat, runny nose, shortness of breath)
• They are NOT close contact with a confirmed Covid-19 case (NOT in isolation for 14 days)
• They do NOT belong to the vulnerable groups as indicated by their treating physician
• There is NO serious underlying health problem that makes them vulnerable to Covid-19 in relation to their job responsibilities

B. Recommendations within the workplace:

• Strict adherence to all hygiene rules
• Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly with soap and water or an alcoholic solution and avoid contact of the hands with the face (eyes, nose, mouth).
• Cover coughing or sneezing with a tissue that is immediately discarded. If this is not available, cover with the inside of the elbow.
• Use of all personal protective equipment provided on a case-by-case basis (mask, gloves)
• Avoid contact and gatherings with other employees, keep distances if possible> 2 meters from their colleague.
• Full information and monitoring by the supervisors on the place, the techniques and the working time of the employees in order to immediately identify wrong techniques that could reduce the effectiveness of the measures taken against the COVID-19

3. Recommendations for passengers

The staff, before boarding and during the trip, informs the occupants about the following:

• When visiting covered land facilities, the use of a fabric mask is recommended.
• The use of gloves is recommended for crew members when refueling, mooring, and other procedures that require access to equipment surfaces used by many people, and there is no short-term installation for hand washing or a station with antiseptics. The placement and removal of the gloves will be done according to the instructions for their proper application, while it is emphasized that the use of gloves does not replace hand washing and hand hygiene must be applied before installation and after removal.
• Hand sanitizer with soap and water should be applied. If the hands are not visibly soiled, an alternative antiseptic 70% alcohol solution may be used. The use of gloves does not replace hand hygiene.
• Proper respiratory hygiene should be followed, that is, covering the mouth and nose with a tissue during the murmur and coughing and then throwing it in a plastic bag and applying antiseptic to the hands. For this purpose, care must be taken for the respective equipment (tissues or disposable paper towels and gloves, plastic bag, etc.).
• The face, nose and eyes should not be touched.

It is up to all of us to safeguard our health and enjoy safe travels and adventures at sea!