Donald Trump has banned all travel from 26 European countries.
In response to the coronavirus outbreak, US President Trump has announced he will suspend all travel from 26 European countries to the United States for the next 30 days.
Foreign nationals who visited in the past 14 days to countries in the Schengen Area, are banned from US entry.
These countries are 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.
The United Kingdom and Ireland are not included in the banned list.
Within hours of the announcement, Europeans reacted with disbelief and confusion.
The European Commission issued a scathing statement condemning the move.
“The coronavirus is a global crisis, not limited to any continent and it requires cooperation rather than unilateral action,” it said.
“The European Union disapproves of the fact that the U.S. decision to impose a travel ban was taken unilaterally and without consultation.”
According to the not so clear rules, Europeans currently in the UK and Ireland seem to be free to enter the US, as long as they have not entered one of the 26 countries in the last 14 days.
Even more confusing, is how US customs will know if a passenger has travelled within Europe in the last 14 days, as there are no passport stamps when travelling within the continent.
In regards to the effects of the ban on US citizens and residents, after the speech, the Department of Homeland Security clarified that the new policy still left significant room for “legal permanent residents” of the US to travel, and instead targeted “most foreign nationals.”
US citizens and legal permanent residents returning from Europe must undergo screening at select US airports to be permitted entry into the United States.
The department will issue a notice in the next 48 hours detailing which airports will be used for screenings.
The shock announcement comes only a week after Trump called the coronavirus a Democratic hoax at a South Carolina rally, saying “the press is in hysteria mode.”
Amid the outbreak, almost all major airlines worldwide have issued change waivers allowing passengers to change their flights free of charge.
In justifying the ban, Trump blamed Europe for not suspending travel from China fast enough.
The ban takes effect midnight Friday.
[adblockingdetector id="638efa67113bf"]