Liveaboards: Fertile Ground for COVID

Undercurrent has written many pieces on how the close quarters of liveaboards are fertile grounds for COVID transmission, and sure enough, it reared its ugly head on our author's October trip. She says:

"The morning before disembarking, two divers had scratchy throats, and that evening, after one disembarked, she fell ill and later tested positive for COVID. She emailed everyone, and eventually 10 guests were infected, 9 of 12 photographers but only one of eight biologists. We all had mingled at meals, but the biologists had spent hours on the open-air top deck cataloging fish, while the photographers spent hours inside the lounge and galley areas editing and sharing photos. The one COVID-positive biologist spent a lot of time in the lounge with the photographers, helping them identify fish."

If you're about to travel on a liveaboard is to avoid close quarters for any time that's not necessary and do your socializing outside.