Travel restrictions tighten worldwide
U.S. ban extended; aid plan advances
BARCELONA, Spain — Spain locked down its 46 million citizens Saturday, and France ordered the closing of the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre, as well as cafes, restaurants and the cinema — as governments took increasing measures to put more space between people to help contain the coronavirus.
Also Saturday, President Donald Trump announced that the U.S., which days ago barred travelers from most of Europe, will extend the ban to Britain and Ireland, where cases are on the rise.
The president also said he had been tested for the virus, which causes the covid-19 disease. His doctor reported Saturday that the president’s test was negative.
The White House also began testing the temperatures of everyone who has been close to Trump. He said his temperature was normal and he was feeling fine.
Under the restrictions on European travel, American citizens, green-card holders and others are still allowed to return home to the U.S., but will be funneled to 13
airports and be subjected to health screenings and quarantine orders.
“If you don’t have to travel, I wouldn’t do it,” Trump said.
Early Saturday the House approved legislation to provide direct relief to Americans suffering physically, financially and emotionally from the coronavirus pandemic. The Senate still must vote on the package. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell canceled this week’s planned recess to deal with the matter.
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promised that another coronavirus package will follow soon, with more steps to boost the U.S. economy.
Mnuchin said Saturday that lawmakers will have to fix a minor error in the approved House bill, which could create some hiccups in getting the measure to Trump’s desk by early this week. It involves a delicately negotiated provision about a tax credit for businesses to provide sick leave.
Trump supports the bill. The president declared a national emergency Friday, unleashing as much as $50 billion for state and local governments to respond to the crisis.
MORE CASES AHEAD
There was little hope of a quick turnaround regarding the impact of the virus.
“We will see more cases, and we will see more suffering and death,” Dr. Anthony Fauci of the National Institutes of Health said Saturday, “particularly among the vulnerables.” Yet, he said, “we still have opportunities” to lessen the severity of the pandemic. The U.S. has recorded at least 51 deaths and nearly 2,500 confirmed infections.
For most people, covid-19 causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.
The vast majority of people recover. According to the World Health Organization, people with mild illness recover in about two weeks, while those with more severe illness may take three to six weeks to get over it.
The new travel restrictions come as Britain has seen its death toll from the virus nearly double from the day before to 21, and the number of people infected rises to more than 1,100 from about 800 the previous day. Ireland had 90 confirmed cases and one death by Friday.
The U.S. said early last week that a 30-day restriction on flights covered only the 26-nation Schengen area, the European Union’s border-free travel zone, which excludes Britain and Ireland.
Vice President Mike Pence said the restrictions on Britain and Ireland will go into effect at midnight Monday.
Pence added that federal officials were “considering a broad range of measures” for potential domestic travel restrictions but no decisions have been made. “We’re going to continue to follow the facts,” Pence said.
Also, the Pentagon and State Department announced new guidance aimed at limiting movement of its personnel and promoting social distancing in hopes of reducing the impact of the pandemic on the agencies. As part of that, State Department employees were to engage in “mission critical” travel only.
WORLD MEASURES
The virus has infected more than 150,000 people worldwide and killed more than 5,600.
In a nationally televised address Saturday, Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez detailed measures put in place as part of a two-week state of emergency to fight the sharp rise in infections.
In a lockdown similar to the one already imposed in Italy, people will be allowed to leave their homes only to buy food and medicine, commute to work, go to hospitals and banks, or take trips related to the care of the young and elderly. All schools and universities were closed, along with restaurants, bars, hotels and other nonessential retail businesses.
Spanish authorities said the number of infections climbed past 5,700, half of them in the capital, Madrid. That represents a national increase of more than 1,500 in 24 hours. The country had 136 deaths, up from 120. Spain has the fifth-highest number of cases, behind China, Italy, Iran and South Korea.
Some flights bound for Spain turned around as word spread of the lockdown.
Paris followed other cities in shuttering major tourist attractions, and France announced the closing of all restaurants, cafes, theaters and nonessential shops starting today. France has recorded at least 3,600 infections. It has banned all gatherings of more than 100 people, ordered all schools closed and asked companies to allow workers to stay home.
France pressed ahead with plans for nationwide municipal elections today but ordered special measures to keep people at a safe distance and to sanitize surfaces. Voters were advised to take their own pens to sign the voting register.
Health and internal affairs ministers from the European Union are scheduled to meet Monday. European Council President Charles Michel, who represents the EU’s 27 leaders, said he was working with governments “on coordinating effective measures at the internal and external EU borders.”
The aim is to “protect people’s health, reduce the spread of coronavirus and to maintain the flow of goods and services within the EU,” Michel tweeted.
ITALY HIT HARD
In Italy, the worst-hit European country, the number of deaths climbed past 1,400, and infections surged roughly 20% overnight to more than 21,000 because of what authorities characterized as irresponsible behavior by people still socializing despite the nationwide lockdown. Many Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, decided to close playgrounds and parks, too.
Premier Giuseppe Conte has said production — particularly of food and health supplies — must not stop. On Saturday, union and industrial leaders reached an agreement to keep factories running.
But luxury sports car maker Ferrari said it was suspending production at two plants, citing concern for its employees and serious disruptions in the flow of supplies.
At noon, people around Italy stepped out on their balconies, terraces or gardens or leaned out their windows to clap for several minutes in a gesture of thanks to medical workers.
Greece’s infection total approached 230 with three deaths, and police there arrested 45 shopkeepers Saturday for violating a ban on operations.
Russia’s Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin signed orders Saturday to close the land borders with Poland and Norway for most foreign citizens beginning today.
Switzerland said it would turn away most people coming from neighboring Italy, deemed a “high-risk country.” Several nations also moved to implement border checks and bar cruise ships from their ports.
Denmark closed its borders and halted passenger traffic to and from the country. Travelers will be turned away at the border if they are unable to show that they have “a legitimate reason” to enter — for example, if they are Danish citizens or residents.
“I know that the overall list of measures is very extreme and will be seen as very extreme, but I am convinced that it’s worth it,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said.
Poland planned to close its borders this weekend and deny all foreigners entry unless they live in Poland or have personal ties there. The Czech Republic and Slovakia took similar action. Lithuania said it was introducing border checks at the frontiers with Poland and Latvia.
In the Middle East, Iran’s death toll reached 611, with nearly 13,000 infections, including senior government officials.
In the Pacific, New Zealand announced that incoming passengers, including citizens, will be required to isolate themselves for 14 days, with few exceptions.
In the Philippines, thousands of police, backed by the army and coast guard, started sealing off the densely populated capital of Manila from most domestic travelers today in one of Southeast Asia’s most drastic containment moves against the virus. Authorities also announced a night curfew in the metropolitan area of 12 million people.
The measures increasingly mirror those taken by China, which in January quarantined more than 60 million people, starting with the epicenter, Wuhan, in the province of Hubei.
The spread of covid-19 in China has slowed dramatically, according to the National Health Commission. After reporting thousands of new cases per day only a month ago, the commission said Saturday that there were 13 new deaths and just 11 new cases, including people who recently arrived in China from other affected countries like Italy.
Wuhan is now the only city in Hubei still designated “high-risk.” Several Hubei municipalities are gradually resuming public transportation and reopening businesses. Parks, museums and art galleries have reopened in Shanghai.
Austria is the latest European nation to announce emergency spending to prop up the economy, announcing Saturday plans to set aside $4.4 billion in liquidity and subsidies. Neighboring Germany on Friday said it would do whatever was necessary to ensure that companies don’t go bankrupt as a result of the health crisis.
“This crisis will mean illness and harm for many people, and for some it will mean death,” Austrian Chancellor Sebastian Kurz said in Vienna. “That’s why we have to do whatever it takes to contain or at least slow down its spread.”
Information for this article was contributed by Joseph Wilson, Geir Moulson, Colleen Long, Michael Balsamo, Aamer Madhani, Aritz Parra, Yanan Wang, Frances D’Emilio, Joseph Wilson, Andrew Taylor, Karel Janicek, Nick Perry, Jim Gomez, Jill Colvin, Lisa Mascaro and Andrew Taylor of The Associated Press; and by Bryce Baschuk, Scott Rose, Joao Lima, Gordana Filipovic, Blaise Robinson, Boris Groendahl, Ian Wishart, Sotiris Nikas, Milda Seputyte, Eric Mbog Batassi, Stephan Kahl and Ania Nussbaum of Bloomberg News.