U.S. Imposes Travel Restrictions On UK, Ireland Over Coronavirus

WASHINGTON, DC — The Trump administration announced Saturday it is suspending travel from the United Kingdom and Ireland to the United States, adding the countries to a previous ban enacted earlier this week affecting 26 European countries. The ban goes into effect at midnight March 16.

Chad Wolf, acting Secretary of Homeland Security, said during the briefing that the ban applies to foreign nationals who have been present in virus-affected areas in the last 14 days. U.S. citizens and residents are exempt from the ban, and it also does not apply to foreign diplomats, family members under age 21, or cargo.

U.S. citizens and legal residents returning to the United States will be funneled through 13 specific airports, medically evaluated and asked to self-quarantine for 14 days.

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The new restrictions came as the death toll in Britain doubled from the day before to 21, and the number of people infected rose to over 1,100 from about 800 the previous day, The Associated Press reported. In Ireland there were 90 confirmed cases and one death by Friday.

Saturday's briefing follows a morning vote by the House of Representatives that approved legislation to provide direct relief to Americans suffering physically, financially and emotionally from the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press reported.

On Friday, President Donald Trump declared the outbreak a national emergency, freeing up money and resources to fight it, then threw his support behind the congressional aid package.

On Wednesday, the Trump administration announced a 30-day travel ban to the United States from European countries that are members of the Schengen border-free travel area. The ban previously excluded the UK and Ireland.

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