U.S. Citizens Are Still Banned From Traveling In The European Union
While COVID-19 cases continue to rise in the United States, the European Union decided to exclude the U.S. to the list of countries they will be reopening their borders to.
Italy and Spain, which were epicenters for the virus near the beginning of the spread, are now looking at a lower curve of coronavirus cases. Their number of daily cases have lowered to hundreds. However, in the U.S. there are states, such as Florida, that are seeing thousands of cases daily. Florida continuously sets records for reporting the highest amount of cases ever reported in the country since the start of the pandemic.
The statement of the European Council states that countries like New Zealand, Japan, Canada, and even China are going to be allowed into Europe. Allowing in Chinese citizens depends on if they reciprocate the same lift to the European Union. This means they must lift all existing travel restrictions on European citizens.
According to Bill Chappell, with NPR, in order to make the list, countries had to be either equal or better than the COVID-19 situation in Europe. It’s evident that this wouldn’t apply to the U.S. since states are opening up without regards to “flattening the curve”. European countries started to see a decline in cases between March and April, however, we are currently in July and signs of the virus slowing down doesn’t seem to be apparent for the U.S.
Aside from the outstanding difference in COVID-19 cases between the two regions, some believe that the U.S. didn’t make the list also as a retaliation for the sudden ban on European countries by the Trump administration in March. European officials were disappointed that there was no consultation before the ban.
At the moment, the European Schengen area and the United Kingdom are still banned from entry into the United States. Even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people limit their travel in general, we’re now in the midst of summer and Americans are wanting to travel.
Since actions to contain the virus weren’t as strictly enforced in the U.S., compared to other countries like Spain, states haven’t been able to really get a handle on the spread without fear of someone feeling like their constitutional rights are being infringed upon. The rapid increase in COVID-19 cases come has exposed many flaws within the American government. Now as a result, other countries aren’t allowing Americans citizens in until there’s a handle on the spread within the U.S.