Trump Suspends European Travel for 30 Days

President Donald Trump.

Europe will become a no-fly zone for Americans beginning on Friday, March 13, 2020.

In an address from the Oval Office Wednesday, President Donald Trump said he would restrict all travel between the United States and the European continent for at least a 30-day period, save for travel to and from the United Kingdom. Trump said the travel restrictions are subject to change in the coming days.

“Smart action today will prevent the spread of the virus tomorrow,” the president continued.

By midnight Friday, Europe will join the likes of China and Iran, from which travelers were already temporarily banned due to fears over the spread of coronavirus, which was declared a global pandemic by the World Health Organization Wednesday.

Italy, which has restricted all travel for its 60 million residents, banned any kind of public event and has shut down schools, gyms and movie theaters, has confirmed more than 12,000 cases of coronavirus and 800 deaths. Germany and France have also reported confirmed cases numbering in the thousands.

Trump continued to say he would champion measures to create financial aid for those unable to work and small businesses that will be hit hard due to the coronavirus outbreak, which worsens in the US by the day. He also promised to work with healthcare providers to forego co-pays on medical visits involving coronavirus.

“I have decided to take several strong but necessary actions,” the president said.