US appeals court blocks ruling that would have suspended CDC cruise ship rules

The brief order from the 11th Circuit panel came about 10 minutes before Merryday's ruling was to take effect on Sunday, which would have made the CDC rules a non-binding recommendation rather than mandatory.

WASHINGTON: A U.S. appeals court late Saturday in a 2-1 ruling put on hold a lower-court decision that said the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) could not enforce its coronavirus cruise ship rules in the state.

Last month, U.S. District Judge Steven Merryday in siding with Republican-led Florida found the state was "highly likely" to show the CDC exceeded its authority in adopting rules governing the resumption of cruise ship sailing.