All travel between the United States and Europe except for the United Kingdom will be canceled or interrupted for the next 30 days.
The Department of Homeland Security said the order suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States.
Flights include routes from Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
Trump noted that there will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings, but did not elaborate.
This was the message US President Trump made in an ongoing national address to the American People.
Because of Europe’s inaction, Trump said, “a number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe.”
Speaking from the Oval Office, Mr. Trump called the coronavirus a “horrible infection” and said he was addressing the nation to talk about the “unprecedented response to the coronavirus outbreak.”
The president also said health insurance companies had agreed to extend insurance coverage to cover coronavirus treatments as well as waive related co-payments.
UPDATES
-
US Travel Association response to the U.S. travel ban with Europe
-
What did President Trump exactly say on restricting travel to and from Europe?
Details
- The countries involved in the ban include 26 European countries: Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
- Foreign nationals who have been in any of those countries 14 days before their departure to the U.S. will not be allowed entry into the U.S.
- This is in addition to similar restrictions put in place for China, South Korea and Iran.
- Notably, the United Kingdom is not included on the new restricted countries list.
- The restrictions are indefinite, the order states, “until terminated by the president.”
WHAT TO TAKE AWAY FROM THIS ARTICLE:
- The Department of Homeland Security said the order suspends the entry of most foreign nationals who have been in certain European countries at any point during the 14 days prior to their scheduled arrival to the United States.
- Trump called the coronavirus a “horrible infection” and said he was addressing the nation to talk about the “unprecedented response to the coronavirus outbreak.
- One White House official told politico magazine the president's concerns about containment and public safety rose significantly on Tuesday, when several elite colleges — including Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology — announced that classes would be moved online and students should refrain from returning to campus at the conclusion of spring break.
