US Coronavirus Travel Ban Expands to Include UK and Ireland

The Epoch Times ^ | March 14, 2020 Updated: March 14, 2020 | Zachary Steiber

[E. Pluribus Unum]

The United States expanded the travel ban to include the United Kingdom and Ireland, effective midnight Monday.

President Donald Trump implemented the ban for most European countries this week because of the explosion of coronavirus cases there.

“All of our health experts presented information” and “made a unanimous recommendation to the president that we suspend all travel from the UK and Ireland,” Vice President Mike Pence, head of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said in Washington after a task force meeting on Saturday.

CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE

Trump said earlier in the press conference that his administration was considering other travel restrictions.

“They’ve had a little bit of activity, unfortunately,” Trump said when asked about the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf said that the decision was made due to “the rising number of cases” in the UK.

President Donald Trump speaks as Vice President Mike Pence (L) listens during a briefing about the coronavirus alongside members of the Coronavirus Task Force at the White House in Washington on March 14, 2020. (Jim Watson/AFP via Getty Images)

“These restrictions bar travel for certain foreign nationals who have been present in the UK or Ireland in the past 14 days,” he said. The restrictions don’t apply to U.S. citizens, officials said, but they will be funneled to certain airports for screening.

Trump on Wednesday said the Schengen Area countries, which include France, Germany, and Italy, failed to implement travel restrictions against China, where the virus started before spreading around the world, unlike the United States.

[rdcbn]

In a way, President Trump is helping Europe through this emerging epidemic.

He is forcing them to get their act together and start protecting their people like they should. If the euros want to be treated like a responsible first world federation, they need to act like one.

[FtrPilot]

Yesterday, my wife and I got back from the UK. We had been there visiting her family. We were scheduled to fly back next Tuesday. With all of the travel restrictions, we decided to fly back early. Delta changed tickets with no charge.

We are glad we flew back early. However, we will self-isolate for the next 14 days, even though it is not mandatory.

There were no issues going through Heathrow or the Atlanta airport.

[The Accused]

Did they do any screening of you at the airport?

[DannyTN]

Needed to be done.

They need to take a hard look at other countries too.
Countries in Southeast asia that may not be reporting correctly.
Countries in Africa that may not be testing.

[FtrPilot]

At Heathrow, the agent asked where all we had traveled. We told her that all travel was within England.

At the Atlanta airport, the only question was: "Do you have anything to declare?"

Starting Monday, I expect everyone will get their temperature taken and directed to self isolate for 14 days.

[Concentrate]

Too little, too late. That’s a shame.

[NoLibZone]

Today even the Dems realize that border controls are the answer.

[Jim W N]

“Dr. Gregory Poland, a Mayo Clinic infectious diseases and vaccine specialist, says that the threat of the coronavirus is real, but the seasonal flu still remains a bigger issue for most people.

“Right now, seasonal flu is causing many more deaths than COVID-19, and the tragedy is that many people die because they consider it ‘just the flu,’” says Dr. Poland.”

https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/covid-19-vs-seasonal-flu-what-you-need-to-know-about-both/