Coronavirus: Local couple going to airbase from Grand Princess cruise ship

Credit: DaytonDailyNews

The local couple who were quarantined aboard the Grand Princess cruise ship are on their way to Travis Air Force Base, Califonria, to continue their health-imposed stay.

“We just left the ship and they are sending us to Travis,” Alan Kilbourne and Amy Doty-Kilbourne said to News Center 7’s Sean Cudahy on Monday night. “We were not expecting this, but it will start our quarantine earlier.”

The Grand Princess cruise ship was scheduled to dock in Oakland sometime Monday.

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News Center 7’s Monica Castro spoke directly with Alan Kilbourne and Amy Dory-Kilbourne who had been quarantined on the ship.

The couple had not been able to leave their room since Thursday. A helicopter dropped off supplies a day later.

Early Monday, Princess Cruises officials said guests would begin disembarkation in Oakland.  The U.S. Coast Guard is sending California Health & Human Services to assist with medical triage, screening and interviews.

The couple said they will stay on board for one to three days while everyone is screened for coronavirus.

The two stated their careers prepared them for this kind of situation.

“We have a lot of resiliency just from our careers,” said Amy Doty-Kilbourne. “We are both in health care. That is probably why we aren't as alarmed as other folks.”

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“The most difficult part is we don't get frequent updates.” said Kilbourne. “We haven't gotten any timeline as of yet. Usually we get a morning, afternoon and evening brief. But the last few, we have no updated information.”

Their latest update details the next steps before coming home.

“We are headed to Oakland, California tomorrow, then several days of disembarking, then we will be transferred to an unknown location somewhere in the United States,” Kilbourne said.

All passengers remain in quarantine.

“We are well, no symptoms of illness. We keep busy by doing exercises and watching movies."

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