Europe US travel ban announced

[Denny01]

1 hour ago, Pushka said:

UK is no longer part of Europe. Plus, it is handling the testing and outbreak far better than the European countries. If anything, UK might look at blocking US! Kidding, but I think the UK is on top of things.  Of course they will get cases.

As DebbieMacG pointed out, the UK didn’t move....and you think the UK was not added because it’s on top of things??

 

COVID-19 Cases as of late 11 March:

UK-459; Belgium-314; Austria-246; Greece-99; Czechia-94; Iceland-85; Finland-59; Portugal-59; Slovenia-57; Romania-47; Ireland-43; Poland-31; Georgia-24; Croatia-19; Albania-15; Hungary-13; Serbia-12; Slovakia-10; Latvia-10; Bosnia-7- N Macedonia- 7; Bulgaria-7; Luxembourg-7.

 

What am I missing here with the UK not added?

 

Den 

[Denny01]

11 minutes ago, az_tchr said:

We were very late. Complicated that the thousands and thousands of testing kits that health departments were issued some 8 years ago were no good.

The US had two advantages with this disease - the Atlantic and Pacific.

Also to whoever posted the UK is not part of Europe. Thank you. Needed a good laugh.

Certainly seems that the TAs have huge problems. Europeans cannot fly here and Americans are likely to need to be tested and/or quarantined.  Hmmm.

DW and I still have TA next month to the UK booked long ago. Hope to get grandson to go with me.

We were late in the US because we refused to use the WHO approved test kits that 60+ other countries accepted and are using, and obviously, 8 year old test kits wouldn’t exactly work for a new virus, but stick with that as an excuse. 

 

Den

[Oville]

11 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

As DebbieMacG pointed out, the UK didn’t move....and you think the UK was not added because it’s on top of things??

 

COVID-19 Cases as of late 11 March:

UK-459; Belgium-314; Austria-246; Greece-99; Czechia-94; Iceland-85; Finland-59; Portugal-59; Slovenia-57; Romania-47; Ireland-43; Poland-31; Georgia-24; Croatia-19; Albania-15; Hungary-13; Serbia-12; Slovakia-10; Latvia-10; Bosnia-7- N Macedonia- 7; Bulgaria-7; Luxembourg-7.

 

What am I missing here with the UK not added?

 

Den 

Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland... Check out those numbers. Though agree the UK is odd and a place where people on a cruise in the US might come from.

Edited March 12, 2020 by Oville

[Pushka]

15 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

As DebbieMacG pointed out, the UK didn’t move....and you think the UK was not added because it’s on top of things??

 

COVID-19 Cases as of late 11 March:

UK-459; Belgium-314; Austria-246; Greece-99; Czechia-94; Iceland-85; Finland-59; Portugal-59; Slovenia-57; Romania-47; Ireland-43; Poland-31; Georgia-24; Croatia-19; Albania-15; Hungary-13; Serbia-12; Slovakia-10; Latvia-10; Bosnia-7- N Macedonia- 7; Bulgaria-7; Luxembourg-7.

 

What am I missing here with the UK not added?

 

Den 

It is why Singapore was never on the list of banned countries. Yes, there are cases. But regarded by experts as being managed. And they have been testing for a while. Don't seek and you won't find. 
 

Funny. I've never regarded UK as being part of Europe. Have always said - we are going to Europe or we are going to the UK. Or going to the UK and Europe. Geographically close but culturally very different. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Pushka

[Denny01]

2 minutes ago, Oville said:

Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Austria, Switzerland...

Don’t disagree with restricting European flights, just the part of not including the UK. The UK’s number do not indicate it has a ‘have a handle on it’ and it’s playing favorites with dumping on the EU and being nice-nice to the UK. It doesn’t track. But so much of this has become political instead of a medical issue that we question everything. 

 

Den

[ldubs]

6 minutes ago, Pushka said:

 

Funny. I've never regarded UK as being part of Europe. Have always said - we are going to Europe or we are going to the UK. Or going to the UK and Europe. Geographically close but culturally very different. 

 

I feel the same re European vs UK.  However, if talking continents then yep, UK is part of Europe.  

[az_tchr]

27 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

We were late in the US because we refused to use the WHO approved test kits that 60+ other countries accepted and are using, and obviously, 8 year old test kits wouldn’t exactly work for a new virus, but stick with that as an excuse. 

 

Den

Den - not an excuse but a fact. Daughter is office manager for doc group. They thought the kits would work. Amazing to me that nobody thought to check that one part of the kits was past its use by date 5 YEARS ago. Pretty stupid on the part of the USA. Even dumber is that 3 parts of the kits did work just fine and would identify Covid.  And yes, the WHO kit is cheaper faster and far easier. No argument.

In Southern Arizona the local health department has had stacks of kits for about 10 days now. I have no idea about the protocol for getting testing done. Do know there has been 1 case in my county. Was overseas and self isolated.

Also USA Today had a good Q&A with the CDC. People who had been in continental Europe - a long list including Iceland - during the prior 14 days would be denied transit to the USA. That would seem to make cruising in Europe painful as Americans would be subject to the rule as in USA Today.

I still wonder what will happen with Mexico and Canada border crossings.

[Yoshikitty]

4 hours ago, GRBlizz said:

 

Ah, of course. 🤦‍♀️

it is a loophole because with a EU passport, you can travel to the UK without any issue and the virus does not stop with a UK passport.

 

and let me add, that most of the EU countries have been fighting and still are the virus for quite some time - when at the same time in the US it has been downplayed or denied. 

 

 

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Yoshikitty

[Pushka]

16 minutes ago, Yoshikitty said:

it is a loophole because with a EU passport, you can travel to the UK without any issue and the virus does not stop with a UK passport.

 

and let me add, that most of the EU countries have been fighting and still are the virus for quite some time - when at the same time in the US it has been downplayed or denied. 

 

 

 

Anyone travelling to the US on an EU passport will likely face extensive questioning at Border Control. And having checked on my details (Aus passport) on a particular site, all my travel details throughout the world 'magically' appeared. It is a requirement to go through passport control using the Eurostar into and out of UK. Passport details are always recorded electronically. Trump has selected Schengen countries because of the freedom of borders. UK was never a part of that. 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Pushka

[Yoshikitty]

As said, restricting certain passport does not mean restricting travel paths of a virus. And all EU passports still can travel unrestricted to the UK - the only difference is that we have to show our passports when entering the country.

 

Edited March 12, 2020 by Yoshikitty

[Pushka]

9 minutes ago, Yoshikitty said:

As said, restricting certain passport does not mean restricting travel paths of a virus. And all EU passports still can travel unrestricted to the UK - the only difference is that we have to show our passports when entering the country.

 

And that passage will be noted if trying to get access to USA. 

[Yoshikitty]

Yes, but that way the virus can be theoretically transported to the UK (almost unrestricted) and infect UK citizens who then travel to the US. That's why excepting the UK does not make any sense.

 

That was my point.

 

[villauk]

1 hour ago, Yoshikitty said:

Yes, but that way the virus can be theoretically transported to the UK (almost unrestricted) and infect UK citizens who then travel to the US. That's why excepting the UK does not make any sense.

 

That was my point.

 

 

 

True, unless Boris changes that in his COBRA meeting today. It’s been rumoured in the national media that we’re going up a level.

[mrsgoggins]

Are the American-based cruise companies likely to abandon sending their ships over to Europe for the summer season? They will presumably working on a plan B at least if this (currently temporary) ban lasts.

[verizon]

They should stop all from flying and cruising from heavily infected cities

Flying can help virus travels fast from one place to another.

The cruise ships are the breeding ground of the Virus.

[scousersue]

6 hours ago, Pushka said:

UK is no longer part of Europe. Plus, it is handling the testing and outbreak far better than the European countries. If anything, UK might look at blocking US! Kidding, but I think the UK is on top of things.  Of course they will get cases.

 

6 hours ago, zdad59 said:

Except the UK? In the most recent WHO report (released today) the UK has more Corona virus cases than 85% of European countries. (UK is #7 of 48 countries). Why is the UK excluded ??

 

The ban is on the Schengen countries - the UK was never a member. 

[sgmn]

13 minutes ago, scousersue said:

 

The ban is on the Schengen countries - the UK was never a member. 

Agree, UK and Ireland are exempt due not part of border free Schengen agreement. But crazy when we have no travel bans from anywhere in place. Fast moving situation though and I think more UK restrictions will be announced today

[Pushka]

16 minutes ago, scousersue said:

 

The ban is on the Schengen countries - the UK was never a member. 

Yes. I stated that later. Schengen allows free flowing borders with no passport control, something the US felt was too risky. 
 

Are you from near Wirral?

[kr00t0n]

Cute that some people think the UK is on top of this.... said as a Londoner watching the most inept goverment in living memory shirk all responsibility on this matter. Really glad that my elderly parents live in another country with almost zero chance of encountering this virus.

[Pushka]

2 minutes ago, kr00t0n said:

Cute that some people think the UK is on top of this.... said as a Londoner watching the most inept goverment in living memory shirk all responsibility on this matter. Really glad that my elderly parents live in another country with almost zero chance of encountering this virus.

In comparison with other countries though, it's probably world class! Which is not exactly high praise. I have not seen one Government being praised for their management of this. Singapore seems to have closest to best practice followed by S Korea. They didn't let it overwhelm them. 

[cruise47]

Why no travel ban from Asia and especially China, Japan and South Korea since China is where the Coronavirus originated from?

[pethi]

3 hours ago, Pushka said:

And that passage will be noted if trying to get access to USA. 

I doubt that. To go to the UK, I need my normal, daily passport or maybe ID card is the better word, to go to the US or anywhere outside Europe I need a travel passport. I don't think they are linked...

 

[mrsgoggins]

4 minutes ago, pethi said:

I doubt that. To go to the UK, I need my normal, daily passport or maybe ID card is the better word, to go to the US or anywhere outside Europe I need a travel passport. I don't think they are linked...

 

 

Really?  We would need our passports to travel to mainland Europe.

[pethi]

6 minutes ago, mrsgoggins said:

 

Really?  We would need our passports to travel to mainland Europe.

 

All persons older than 12 years have an ID card here in Belgium and you have to carry it with you all the time. I also use it e.g. at the pharmacy and the library...

ID card is enough to travel in Europe and so far also the UK. Might change with the Brexit but it's for as far I know not yet the case...

[sgmn]

7 minutes ago, pethi said:

 

All persons older than 12 years have an ID card here in Belgium and you have to carry it with you all the time. I also use it e.g. at the pharmacy and the library...

ID card is enough to travel in Europe and so far also the UK. Might change with the Brexit but it's for as far I know not yet the case...

Wow, I never knew EU citizens could travel to UK just with ID card