Notes from the Field: Outbreak of COVID-19 Among a Highly Vaccinated Population Aboard a U.S. Navy Ship After a Port Visit - Reykjavik, Iceland, July 2021
Tammy E. Servies, MD1; Eric C. Larsen, MD1; Rodney C. Lindsay, MPH1; Jonathan S. Jones, MS1; Regina Z. Cer, MS2; Logan J. Voegtly, MS2,3; Matthew R. Lueder, MS2,3; Francisco Malagon, PhD2,3; Kimberly A. Bishop-Lilly, PhD2; Asha J. Riegodedios, MSPH4
Abstract
On July 27, 2021, a fully vaccinated* crew member on a U.S. Navy ship who had been symptomatic with cough and congestion for 4 days was evaluated in the ship’s onboard medical department and received a positive test result† for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. The ship had approximately 350 personnel on board§; COVID-19 vaccination rate was >98%.¶ The ship had been on an 8-week deployment with port visits in Norway (July 13–14) and in Reykjavik, Iceland (July 18–21). Masking and physical distancing mandates on the ship were relaxed while at sea but were immediately reimplemented upon identification of the crew member’s positive test result.