Washington’s Europe travel ban leads to “final viral infusion” in U.S.

A report by The Washington Post on Saturday said that the White House’s travel restrictions on Europe have prompted the crush of passengers from then COVID-19 epicenter and triggered a “final viral infusion” in the United States.

Citing the crowded population and cursory temperature check at U.S. airports after a 30-day Europe travel ban went into effect in March, the report said these scenes showed “how a policy intended to block the pathogen’s entry into the United States instead delivered one final viral infusion.”

“(President Donald) Trump has repeatedly touted his decision in January to restrict travel from China as evidence that he acted decisively to contain the coronavirus,” the article said. “But it was his administration’s response to the threat from Europe that proved more consequential to the majority of the more than 94,000 people who have died and the 1.6 million now infected in the United States.”

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On March 11, Trump announced a suspension of travel from more than two dozen European countries to the United States for the next 30 days. The ban did not apply to American citizens who would be screened before entering the country.

Alarmed by the announcement, many American nationals including students in Europe chose to fly back to the United States. “As those exposed travelers fanned out into U.S. cities and suburbs, they became part of an influx from Europe that went unchecked for weeks,” the report said.

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Last month, New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo also blamed the White House for its botched response to contain the coronavirus, saying, “We closed the front door with the China travel ban, but we left the back door wide open.”

Source: Xinhua – WASHINGTON