(QTRAVEL) The plan of the European Union is to reopen its borders on July 1, and for the first time since the closure as the coronavirus pandemic in March, allowing in some travelers.
However, Americans may not be among them arrivals as the EU is considering barring Americans because the United States has not adequately controlled the spread of COVID-19, The New York Times reported on Tuesday.
Travelers from other countries, such as from Brazil and Russia would also be blocked from entering EU countries under the lists, according to The NY Times.
The US has had more than 2.3 million coronavirus cases and 120,000 deaths, more than any other country, despite Donald Trump’s claims that the US’s outbreak is under control.
In early March, the U.S. barred travel from much of Europe, citing outbreaks in northern Italy, Germany, and elsewhere in the European Union. The prohibition has not been lifted, even as Europe has largely contained its outbreaks.
The EU border closure in March applied to visitors from most countries outside the bloc, not specifically Americans. However, the new ban, expected to be announced before July 1, calls out several countries specifically that have handled outbreaks poorly and seen increases in cases.
The NY Times says that countries identified as safe on the draft lists were selected based on several objective criteria, such as the average number of new infections per 100,000 people over the past two weeks.
For the EU, that number is 16. For the US, it’s 107, The NY Times said.
Brazil’s average number of infections per 100,000 people over the past two weeks is 190, and Russia’s is 80, according to The NY Times, adding that the list would be revisited every two weeks based on new case count.
A finalized list is set to be presented next week, according to The NY Times. However, EU’s member states will not be required to adopt it, but those that don’t could see internal borders imposed or even closed to prevent people from crossing.
Source Business Insider, NY Times
