Donald Trump is quick to point to his China travel restrictions as evidence that he acted quickly and efficiently to curb the spread of coronavirus within the United States. But the truth is that Trump’s travel restrictions are nothing but smoke and mirrors meant to distract from his refusal to contain the virus within our own borders and secure medical equipment necessary to protect Americans from a deadly virus costing thousands of lives. The facts of the matter are simple: Trump’s administration acted too late to effectively contain the virus and Trump’s restrictions still let thousands of people in.
Since U.S. officials became aware of coronavirus in the end of December, 430,000 people have traveled from China to the U.S., with thousands flying directly from Wuhan. There were over 1,000 flights to 17 cities before Trump signed his restrictions. In the two months since Trump restricted travel from China, nearly 40,000 travelers have flown from China to the U.S. on neary 279 flights. Those travelers were able to do so because Trump’s executive order supposedly banning travel contained eleven exemptions — including exemptions that allowed the Trump administration to pick and choose which foreign nationals were allowed to enter the country. To make matters worse, interviews show screening procedures at U.S. airports have been uneven at best.
Beyond the “ban” itself being ineffective, Trump continues to wrongly claim that he acted early and was “the first” to impose travel restrictions on China. Trump knew that Covid-19 posed a significant threat to the health and financial well being of Americans and waited more than a week after his National Security Council recommended restricting travel to actually do so. Forty-six countries, including Australia, imposed travel restrictions before the U.S.
Trump wants to tout his travel restrictions because he believes it showcases how well he has managed the coronavirus crisis, but the facts underscore how through this pandemic he has refused to actually prepare and the steps he has taken have not made Americans any more safe.
Public Health Experts Warned That Restricting Travel Was Ineffective, Counterproductive, And Would Come Too Late To Control The Spread Of The Disease.
Catherine Worsnop, A Global Health Specialist At The University Of Maryland, Warned That A Travel Ban Would Have “Limited Effectiveness.” “‘From a public health perspective, there is limited effectiveness. And then there are a host of other reasons why they can actually be counterproductive,’ said Catherine Worsnop, who studies international cooperation during global health emergencies at the University of Maryland.” [Stat, 1/31/20]
- Worsnop Emphasized That Travel Bans Often Come Too Late To Actually Control The Spread Of The Disease. NPR’s JOE PALCA: “Catherine Worsnop is at the University of Maryland School of Public Policy. First of all, she says, travel bans don’t work because they come too late.” WORSNOP: “The bans were put in place after many people had already left Wuhan and other cities, so it had already had a chance to spread.” PALCA: “You can’t put a ban in place before there’s a reason to put a ban in place. And by then, it’s too late. What’s more, Worsnop says people will try to sneak out of the city.” WORSNOP: “That can make it much harder to track potential cases and contact, which is one of the most effective ways to contain this outbreak.” [NPR, 1/25/20]
Georgetown Law Professor Of Global Health Law Lawrence Gostin Said China’s Own Travel Ban Was A “Significant Mistake” And That It Would Be “Counterproductive From A Public Health Point Of View.” Georgetown Law professor of global health law Lawrence Gostin said of China’s travel ban: “I think it’s a very significant mistake, and it will be counterproductive from a public health point of view.” PALCA: “Gostin cites the experience with two other outbreaks, SARS and MERS, caused by a virus similar to the one that’s cropped up in China.” GOSTIN: “We never had lockdowns with all of those, but we brought them under control with traditional public health measures.” [NPR, 1/25/20]
Global Health Security Professor Adam Kamradt-Scott Said Travel Restrictions “Have Been Shown To Be Ineffective At Halting The Spread Of The Viruses.” “‘These types of measures have been shown to be ineffective at halting the spread of the viruses,’ said Adam Kamradt-Scott, a professor in global health at the University of Sydney who studies global health security.” [Vox, 1/23/20]
The World Health Organization Advised Against Travel Restrictions To Control The Spread Of Coronavirus. “With the information currently available for the novel coronavirus, WHO advises that measures to limit the risk of exportation or importation of the disease should be implemented, without unnecessary restrictions of international traffic… WHO advises against the application of any restrictions of international traffic based on the information currently available on this event.” [World Health Organization, 1/24/20]
- WHO Spokesperson Tarik Jašarević: “Although Travel Restrictions May Intuitively Seem Like The Right Thing To Do, This Is Not Something That WHO Usually Recommends.” “‘Although travel restrictions may intuitively seem like the right thing to do, this is not something that WHO usually recommends,’ said Tarik Jašarević, a WHO spokesperson. ‘This is because of the social disruption they cause and the intensive use of resources required,’ he added.” [Stat, 1/31/20]
The World Health Organization Advised Against Travel Restrictions Because “Evidence Shows That Restricting The Movement Of People And Goods During Public Health Emergencies Is Ineffective In Most Situations.” “WHO continues to advise against the application of travel or trade restrictions to countries experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks. In general, evidence shows that restricting the movement of people and goods during public health emergencies is ineffective in most situations and may divert resources from other interventions.” [World Health Organization, 2/29/20]
Trump’s Own Argument For A Travel Ban Falls Apart When You Look At The Data: Trump Did Not Restrict Travel Early, And His “Ban” Has Continued To Let Tens Of Thousands Of People Enter The Country From China.
The Trump Administration Knew That Covid-19 Posed A Serious Threat To Public Health By January 3, 2020.
On January 3, CDC Director Robert Redfield Learned From A Chinese Counterpart Of A Respiratory Illness Spreading In Wuhan And Quickly Relayed The Information To Secretary Of Health And Human Services Alex Azar. “The CDC learned of a cluster of cases in China on Dec. 31 and began developing reports for HHS on Jan. 1. But the most unambiguous warning that U.S. officials received about the coronavirus came Jan. 3, when Robert Redfield, the CDC director, received a call from a counterpart in China. The official told Redfield that a mysterious respiratory illness was spreading in Wuhan, a congested commercial city of 11 million people in the communist country’s interior. Redfield quickly relayed the disturbing news to Alex Azar, the secretary of HHS, the agency that oversees the CDC and other public health entities. Azar, in turn, ensured that the White House was notified, instructing his chief of staff to share the Chinese report with the National Security Council.” [Washington Post, 4/4/20]
Trump’s Travel Restrictions Let The Trump Administration Pick And Choose Which Foreign Nationals It Would Continue To Allow In The Country.
Trump’s travel restrictions included three broad exemptions that allow Trump and members of his administration to pick and choose which foreign nationals are allowed to continue to enter the United States despite his supposed ban. These loopholes allow Trump to effectively welcome people who he stands to financially benefit from into the country while closing borders to anyone whose presence would not directly benefit him. These are the three key exemptions that allow him to do so:
(ix) any alien whose entry would not pose a significant risk of introducing, transmitting, or spreading the virus, as determined by the CDC Director, or his designee;
(x) any alien whose entry would further important United States law enforcement objectives, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their respective designees based on a recommendation of the Attorney General or his designee; or
(xi) any alien whose entry would be in the national interest, as determined by the Secretary of State, the Secretary of Homeland Security, or their designees.
By The Time The Trump Administration’s Travel Restrictions Eventually Took Effect, It Was Too Late — 381,000 Passengers Had Entered The United States On Direct Flights From China In January 2020.
Each Day That Trump Waited To Adopt Travel Restrictions, Roughly 14,000 Travelers Arrived In The United States From China. “Each day that the administration debated the travel measures, roughly 14,000 travelers arrived in the United States from China, according to figures cited by the Trump administration. Among them was a traveler who came from Wuhan to Seattle in mid-January, who turned out to be the first confirmed case in the United States.” [Reuters, 4/5/20]
New York Times Published Of Trump’s Travel Restrictions: “The Analysis Of The Flight And Other Data By The New York Times Shows The Travel Measures, However Effective, May Have Come Too Late To Have ‘Kept China Out.’” “But the analysis of the flight and other data by The New York Times shows the travel measures, however effective, may have come too late to have ‘kept China out,’ particularly in light of recent statements from health officials that as many as 25 percent of people infected with the virus may never show symptoms. Many infectious-disease experts suspect that the virus had been spreading undetected for weeks after the first American case was confirmed, in Washington State, on Jan. 20, and that it had continued to be introduced. In fact, no one knows when the virus first arrived in the United States.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
By Mid-January, When Health Screening Began In New York, Los Angeles, And San Francisco For Passengers Who Had Been In Wuhan, 4,000 People Had Already Entered The United States Directly From Wuhan. “During the first half of January, when Chinese officials were underplaying the severity of the outbreak, no travelers from China were screened for potential exposure to the virus. Health screening began in mid-January, but only for a number of travelers who had been in Wuhan and only at the airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York. By that time, about 4,000 people had already entered the United States directly from Wuhan, according to VariFlight, an aviation data company based in China. The measures were expanded to all passengers from China two weeks later.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
In January, There Were Over 1,300 Direct Flights From China To The U.S., Carrying About 381,000 Passengers, About A Quarter Of Whom Were American. “In January, before the broad screening was in place, there were over 1,300 direct passenger flights from China to the United States, according to VariFlight and two American firms, MyRadar and FlightAware. About 381,000 travelers flew directly from China to the United States that month, about a quarter of whom were American, according to data from the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
- This Data Does Not Include The Number Of Travelers Who Arrived In The U.S. From China On Itineraries That First Stopped In Another Country. “In addition, untold others arrived from China on itineraries that first stopped in another country. While actual passenger counts for indirect fliers were not available, Sofia Boza-Holman, a spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security, said they represented about a quarter of travelers from China.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
For 4,000 Travelers Who Departed Wuhan In January For New York Or San Francisco, There Was No Enhanced Screening. “Nineteen flights departed Wuhan in January for New York or San Francisco — and the flights were largely full, according to VariFlight. For about 4,000 travelers, there was no enhanced screening.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
Scott Lu, Who Arrived In The U.S. From Wuhan On January 22, Said That Upon Arriving In The U.S. From China, Officials Took His Temperature And Let Him In Without Giving instructions To Self-Isolate. “On the flight, he and other passengers filled a health declaration form, which included questions about symptoms like fever, cough or difficulty breathing. After they arrived at J.F.K. in New York, the passengers were directed to go through a temperature checkpoint. ‘It was very fast,’ he said. ‘If your temperature is normal, they will just let you in.’ Mr. Liu said no one asked him questions about his travel history or health, and he received a card with information about what to do if he developed symptoms. At the time, there were no instructions to isolate. Mr. Liu said he and his friends all decided to do so anyway. ‘I stayed at home for almost 20 days,’ he said.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
It Took More Than A Week From When The National Security Council Recommended Restricting Travel From China For Trump’s White House To Actually Do So.
The National Security Council Proposed Restricting Flights From China On January 24 — A Week Before The Trump Administration Started Restricting Travel On February 2. “By Jan. 24, the staff of the NSC had proposed restricting flights from China, said the government official involved in the deliberations. But as Pottinger met with deputies from other cabinet-level agencies, the recommendation met with resistance because of concerns about spooking the markets and scaring the public, three sources with knowledge of the deliberations told Reuters. With opinions still divided, the matter went to top White House aides, at which point Treasury Secretary Mnuchin and National Economic Council director Kudlow argued strongly against the travel restrictions, said two former NSC officials and the government official involved in the deliberations.” [Reuters, 4/5/20]
- Reuters Reported That Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin And NEC Director Larry Kudlow Opposed Travel Restrictions Because They Were “Concerned About Economic Fallout From Barring Travelers From China.” “In meetings, Matthew Pottinger, deputy national security adviser and a China expert, met opposition from Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council director Larry Kudlow, said two former NSC officials and one of the government officials involved in the deliberations. The two top aides were concerned about economic fallout from barring travelers from China, the sources said.” [Reuters, 4/5/20]
HHS Secretary Alex Azar Said Restricting Travel On China Was The “Uniform Recommendation Of Career Public Health Officials At HHS.” “Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, who was coordinator of the task force at the time and announced the travel restrictions, said Trump made the decision in late January after accepting the ‘uniform recommendation of the career public health officials here at HHS.’” [Associated Press, 3/26/20]
The Washington Post Reported That In The Fourteen Days Prior To Trump’s Travel Restrictions, Trump Himself Had Been “Reluctant To Impose The Ban, Citing His Relationship With Chinese Leader Xi Jinping.” “The Trump administration had imposed an entry ban on all foreign nationals who were in the People’s Republic of China, excluding Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macao, in the previous 14 days, effective Feb. 2. Trump reportedly had been reluctant to impose the ban, citing his relationship with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, but the action was urged by his top health advisers. The virus was already spreading through the United States.” [Washington Post, 3/14/20]
The Trump Administration’s Travel Ban Is Ineffective — Tens Of Thousands Have Continued To Enter The U.S. From China Since It Went Into Effect.
In The Two Months After Trump Imposed Travel Restrictions, Nearly 40,000 People Arrived In The U.S. On Direct Flights From China. “Since Chinese officials disclosed the outbreak of a mysterious pneumonialike illness to international health officials on New Year’s Eve, at least 430,000 people have arrived in the United States on direct flights from China, including nearly 40,000 in the two months after President Trump imposed restrictions on such travel, according to an analysis of data collected in both countries.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
- In January, Thousands Of Passengers Arrived In Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Newark, And Detroit Directly From Wuhan. “The bulk of the passengers, who were of multiple nationalities, arrived in January, at airports in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Chicago, Seattle, Newark and Detroit. Thousands of them flew directly from Wuhan, the center of the coronavirus outbreak, as American public health officials were only beginning to assess the risks to the United States.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
279 Flights From China Have Arrived In The United States Since Trump’s Travel Restrictions Took Effect On February 2, 2020. “Flights continued this past week, the data show, with passengers traveling from Beijing to Los Angeles, San Francisco and New York, under rules that exempt Americans and some others from the clampdown that took effect on Feb. 2. In all, 279 flights from China have arrived in the United States since then, and screening procedures have been uneven, interviews show.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
About 60 Percent Of Travelers On Direct Flights From China To The United States In February Were Not American Citizens. “About 60 percent of travelers on direct flights from China in February were not American citizens, according to the most recently available government data. Most of the flights were operated by Chinese airlines after American carriers halted theirs.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
Travelers Who Have Flown To The U.S. From China Since Trump’s Travel Restrictions Went Into Effect Have Experienced “Lax” Screening Processes At U.S. Airports.
Andrew Wu, Who Flew To Los Angeles From Beijing On March 10 Recalled Entering The U.S.: “The Guy I Spoke To Read Down A List Of Questions, And He Didn’t Seem Interested In Checking Out Anything.” “‘I was surprised at how lax the whole process was,’ said Andrew Wu, 31, who landed at Los Angeles International Airport on a flight from Beijing on March 10. ‘The guy I spoke to read down a list of questions, and he didn’t seem interested in checking out anything.’… Mr. Wu, who has had no symptoms and has not become ill, said he was told to stay inside for 14 days when he landed in Los Angeles. He said he received two reminder messages the next day by email and text, but no further follow-up.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
Sabrina Fitch, Who Flew From China To JFK On March 23 Said “Besides Looking At Our Passports, They Didn’t Question Us Like We Normally Are Questioned.” “Sabrina Fitch, 23, flew from China to Kennedy International Airport in New York on March 23. She and the 40 or so other passengers had their temperature taken twice while en route and were required to fill out forms about their travels and health, she said. ‘Besides looking at our passports, they didn’t question us like we normally are questioned,’ said Ms. Fitch, who had been teaching English in China. ‘So it was kind of weird, because everyone expected the opposite, where you get a lot of questions. But once we filled out the little health form, no one really cared.’” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
Chandler Jurinka, Who Traveled From Beijing To Seattle On February 29, Said No One Took His Temperature When He Arrived In The United States. “Another traveler, Chandler Jurinka, said his experience on Feb. 29 had an even more haphazard feel. He flew from Beijing to Seattle, with stops in Tokyo and Vancouver. At the Seattle-Tacoma airport, he said, an immigration officer went through his documents and asked questions unrelated to the virus about his job and life in China. At no point did anyone take his temperature, he said. ‘He hands me my passport and forms and says, ‘Oh, by the way, you haven’t been to Wuhan, have you?’’ Mr. Jurinka said. ‘And then he says, ‘You don’t have a fever, right?’’ Like others, he left the airport with a card that recommended two weeks of self-quarantine and a promise that someone would call to check up on him. He said he never got a call.” [New York Times, 4/4/20]
Trump Wrongly Claimed He Was The “First One” To Restrict Travel With China — More Than 40 Countries Had Already Established Travel Restrictions By The Time Trump’s Travel Ban Went Into Effect.
On April 3, Trump wrongly claimed “When I did China, it had never been done before. I was the first one to do it.” By the time the Trump administration’s travel restrictions went into effect on February 2, the Council on Foriegn Relations;’ “Think Global Health” reports that at least 46 countries and territories had already imposed travel restrictions.
| Date Effective | Country’s Travel Restrictions |
| January 24 | MARSHALL ISLANDS imposed an entry ban on anyone from China or who has transited through China, requiring that those individuals spend at least fourteen days in a country not affected by the coronavirus prior to arriving in the Marshall Islands, effective January 24 (Marshall Islands Ministry of Health and Human Services). |
|
January 27 |
HONG KONG imposed an entry ban on residents of or visitors from Hubei Province in the past fourteen days, effective January 27 (Chief Executive of Hong Kong)
MALAYSIA imposed an entry ban on all travelers, regardless of their nationalities, who had visited Hubei, Zhejiang, and Jiangsu provinces within a period of fourteen days prior to entering Malaysia, effective February 9 (Immigration Department of Malaysia). Malaysia suspended the issuance of visas-on-arrival to Chinese nationals from Hubei and Wuhan, effective January 27 (Malaysia Office of Prime Minister). PHILIPPINES imposed an entry ban on all foreign nationals coming from China and its special administrative regions and imposed an exit ban on citizens of the Philippines for traveling to China, effective February 2. The Philippines suspended visa-free travel from China, effective January 27 (Philippines Bureau of Immigration). |
|
January 28 |
MACAU suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals under the individual visit scheme at the directive of China’s central authorities, effective January 28 (Reuters, GGR Asia).
MOZAMBIQUE suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese nationals, effective January 28 (Washington Post, Agence de Presse Africaine). SRI LANKA suspended the issuance of visas-on-arrival to Chinese nationals, effective January 28 (India Times). |
|
January 29 |
KAZAKHSTAN suspended the issuance of visas to Chinese citizens, effective January 29, and regular air traffic to the People’s Republic of China, effective February 3 (Prime Minister of Kazakhstan). Kazakhstan closed its borders, including its border with China, effective March 15 (Reuters).
PAPUA NEW GUINEA imposed an entry ban on anyone having been to Wuhan regardless of medical checks and anyone having been to China in the past fourteen days unless they’ve undergone medical checks prior to entering Papua New Guinea, effective January 29 (Papua New Guinea Ministry for Immigration and Border Security) SINGAPORE imposed an entry ban on all foreign nationals who traveled to mainland China in the last fourteen days, effective January 29. Singapore suspended visas, including previously issued visas, for passport holders from the People’s Republic of China, effective January 29 (Government of Singapore). TANZANIA’s state-owned airline, Air Tanzania, suspended its maiden flights to China, effective January 29 (Reuters). |
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January 30 |
AFGHANISTAN closed its border with China to travelers, effective January 30 (Newsweek).
BAHAMAS imposed an entry ban on any non-resident, regardless of nationality, who has visited China in the past twenty days, effective January 30 (Government of the Bahamas). DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE CONGO imposed an exit ban on all Congolese citizens to prevent them from traveling to China (Al Jazeera — reported on 1/30/20) MALDIVES imposed an entry ban on any foreign national who have visited or transited through mainland China, effective February 3 (Maldives Office of the President). Maldives suspended all inbound flights from China, effective January 30 (Maldives Office of the President). NORTH KOREA closed its borders with Russia and China, effective January 30 and imposed an entry ban on all foreign tourists and all North Koreans in China, reportedly including defectors, effective January 30 (38 North). North Korea suspended all flights to China, effective January 25 (Reuters). North Korea imposed an exit ban on officials going to China (Wall Street Journal). RWANDA’s state-owned airline, RwandAir, suspended all flights to China, effective January 30 (RwandAir). TAJIKISTAN closed its border with China, effective January 30 (Reuters, Asia News TJ). Tajikistan imposed an entry ban on all citizens from China, effective March 3 (Reuters). TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO imposed an entry ban on anyone who has lived in or visited China in the past fourteen days, effective January 30 (Ministry of Health). |
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January 31 |
ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA imposed an entry ban on all travelers from the People’s Republic of China, effective January 31 (Office of the Prime Minister).
BRUNEI imposed an entry ban on any visitor who has visited Hubei within the past fourteen days and anyone holding a passport from the People’s Republic of China issued in Hubei, effective January 31 (Brunei Ministry of Health). COOK ISLANDS imposed an entry ban on persons who have been in China within the past fourteen days, effective January 31 (Cook Islands Ministry of Health). EL SALVADOR imposed an entry ban on all travelers from China and suspended all flights from China, effective January 31 (CNN Español, El Salvador). GUATEMALA imposed an entry ban on anyone who has been to China within the past fifteen days, effective January 31 (Government of Guatemala). GUYANA imposed an entry ban on persons traveling from China, warning persons in China who plan to travel to Guyana are likely to be denied entry, effective January 31 (Guyana Ministry of Foreign Affairs). IRAN suspended all flights to and from China, effective January 31 (Iran Minister of Health and Medical Education). ITALY suspended all flights to and from China, including Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, effective January 31 (Italian Civil Aviation Authority). JAMAICA imposed an entry ban on passengers arriving from China and an exit ban on traveling to China, effective January 31 (Jamaica Ministry of Health). KIRIBATI imposed an entry ban on all travelers from countries with ongoing local transmission of COVID-19, requiring them to spend at least fourteen days in a country free of COVID-19 prior to their arrival in Kiribati, effective January 31. Currently, Kiribati’s entry restrictions currently apply to China, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, the United States, and Vietnam (Kiribati Ministry of Health and Medical Services). MICRONESIA imposed an exit ban on all citizens of Micronesia for traveling to mainland China and other countries with confirmed cases, effective January 31. Micronesia imposed an entry ban on all persons traveling directly or indirectly from anywhere in mainland China since January 6, 2020, and on all persons traveling from countries, states, or territories with confirmed cases of the coronavirus (other than mainland China) unless they have stayed in a country, state, or territory with no confirmed cases of the virus for a period of at least fourteen days prior to their entry into Micronesia, effective January 31 (The President of Micronesia). MOROCCO’s state-owned airline, Royal Air Morocco, suspended all flights to China, effective January 31 (Reuters, Morocco World News). PARAGUAY suspended visas for those from mainland China, effective January 31 (Paraguay Ministry of Foreign Affairs). RUSSIA closed its direct border crossing with China and limited crossing of Chinese nationals from Mongolia to Russia, effective January 31 (Government of Russia). Russia suspended the passage of all citizens of the People’s Republic of China into Russia, effective February 20 (Government of Russia). Russia suspended visa-free travel from China, effective February 1 (Government of Russia). Russia suspended all flights from Russia to China except by Aeroflot and all flights from China except for four airlines’ flights to Moscow, effective February 1 (Government of Russia). SOLOMON ISLANDS imposed an entry ban on anyone who had visited a country with a confirmed case in the past fourteen days, effective January 31 (Solomon Times, Radio New Zealand). TURKMENISTAN suspended all flights from China, effective January 31 (Reuters). |
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February 1 |
ARMENIA suspended its visa-free travel regime for Chinese citizens, effective February 1 (Armenpress).
AUSTRALIA imposed an entry ban on all foreign nationals, except for permanent residents or immediate family members of Australian citizens and permanent residents, that have left or transited through mainland China, effective February 1. Australia also suspended temporary visas for visa holders ineligible for entry into Australia (Australia Border Force). AZERBAIJAN suspended electronic visas and visa applications for ordinary Chinese citizens, effective February 1 (Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Azerbaijan). EGYPT’s state-owned airline, Egyptair, suspended all flights to China, effective February 1 (Egyptair). JAPAN imposed an entry ban on all foreign nationals who have stayed in Hubei province in the past fourteen days or who possess Chinese passports issued by Hubei province, effective February 1 (Prime Minister of Japan). Japan imposed an entry ban on foreign nationals who have stayed in Zhejiang province or who hold passports from Zhejiang, effective February 13 (Prime Minister of Japan). Japan imposed an entry ban on foreign nationals who have been to China within the past fourteen days, effective April 3 (Japan National Tourism Organization). KYRGYZSTAN closed its border with China and suspended all flights between China and Kyrgyzstan, effective February 1 (Government of Kyrgyzstan). MONGOLIA closed its border with China, effective February 6. Mongolia imposed an entry ban on all Chinese citizens and third-country nationals coming to Mongolia through or from China, effective February 1. Mongolia imposed an exit ban on Mongolian citizens, effective January 31 (Monstame). PALAU imposed an entry ban on all travelers with travel history originating from or transiting through mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau within fourteen days of their arrival in Palau, effective February 1 (Office of the President). Palau suspended all flights from mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macau, effective February 1 (France 24). ST. KITTS AND NEVIS imposed an entry ban on persons traveling from China or who have traveled to another country from China within the past fourteen days, effective February 1 (St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health). UZBEKISTAN suspended all flights by its state airline to and from China, effective February 1 (Reuters). VIETNAM suspended the issuance of visas to foreign visitors who have been to China in past two weeks, effective February 1 (Vietnam Government). Vietnam suspended all flights to and from China, effective February 1, but lifted suspensions for Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau on February 2 (US News). |
Source: [Council on Foreign Relations, “Think Global Health,” 4/6/20]