President Trump restricts European travel to U.S. for 30 days because of pandemic

President Donald Trump on Wednesday night announced he is restricting travel from Europe — a significant portion of Route 66 tourism — for 30 days in the wake of the coronavirus epidemic.

The travel blockade, which doesn’t cover the United Kingdom, takes effect at midnight Friday.

Coronavirus COVID-19 has sickened more than 126,000 people and killed 4,600 as of Wednesday night, according to real-time data collected by Johns Hopkins University. In Europe, Italy has been particularly hard-hit, and Germany, France and Spain are struggling with it.

The epidemic has rocked world markets, disrupted vital shipping from China and likely will cause a worldwide recession. The virus and economic slowdown also have been partially cited for a plunge of nearly $30 a barrel for oil in recent weeks, which sounds good for motorists but hammers the U.S. petroleum industry.

From a White House transcript, here is the relevant excerpt from Trump’s nationally televised speech to the nation:

To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe to the United States for the next 30 days.  The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight. These restrictions will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground.
There will be exemptions for Americans who have undergone appropriate screenings, and these prohibitions will not only apply to the tremendous amount of trade and cargo, but various other things as we get approval.  Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing.  These restrictions will also not apply to the United Kingdom.

According to a White House memo, here are the president’s orders regarding European travel:

  • President Trump is issuing a proclamation under section 212(f) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) to restrict travel to the United States from foreign nationals who have recently been in certain European countries.
    • Section 212(f) of the INA only applies to the movement of human beings, not goods or cargo.
  • The restriction applies to foreign nationals who have been in the Schengen Area, 26 countries in Europe with open borders agreements, in the last 14 days.
  • Those who are exempt from these restrictions, such as American citizens, will be directed to a limited number of airports where screening can take place.
  • There is extensive travel back and forth between Europe that heightens the risk here in the United States.

Whether the European travel ban will have much, if any, effect on the epidemic in the U.S. is debatable. The virus already is here: The number of cases in the U.S. is 1,300 and climbing.

Regardless, stopping Europeans from traveling Route 66 until mid-April will have an adverse effect on businesses here. Anecdotally, multiple Route 66 businesses have told me international travelers make up about 40% of their business. Taking Europe out of the equation, even for 30 days, will hurt.

At least the president’s order is taking place early in the tourism season. It probably would have been disastrous for Route 66 businesses had it been ordered in June.

I’ve heard a few people dismiss coronavirus, saying it’s no worse than the typical flu. That’s incorrect: Death rates for coronavirus are 10 to 35 times higher than seasonal influenza. It’s roughly comparable to the infamous Spanish flu epidemic of about 100 years ago.

It’s proven especially serious for elder people or those with compromised immune systems. Coronavirus also is remarkably infectious, and the epidemic may persist for months because many carriers don’t exhibit symptoms. And a vaccine won’t be available for at least a year.

For a good overview of the epidemic, listen to this interview Tuesday with infectious disease expert Michael Osterholm on Joe Rogan’s podcast:

Dr. Anthony Fauci, an immunologist who heads the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases, also testified this week about the disease and provided a similarly sobering take:

If the pandemic persists, it could be a long, difficult summer for many businesses along the Mother Road.

(Illustration of coronavirus COVID-19 by Prochatai via Flickr)

2 thoughts on “President Trump restricts European travel to U.S. for 30 days because of pandemic

  1. With so many Americans IN THE US with coronavirus, why is he not banning people FROM LEAVING the USA? Why exclude the UK from those flying DIRECT to the USA, when anyone from Continental Europe can fly to the US VIA THE UK? A very unbalanced ban.

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