U.S. ready to lift blockade on European passengers
The news was released by Reuters news agency this afternoon, the United States would be ready to lift the ban [...]
La news was released by the Reuters news agency. this afternoon, the United States is reportedly ready to lift the ban on passengers from all 27 European Union states and Brazil.
In this article:
The Trump administration in March had decided to institute the entry ban in an attempt to defend against the spread of Covid-19, banning all noncitizens or residents from entering U.S. soil if they had been in Europe in the previous 14 days.
The agency explains that several sources have confirmed the White House's willingness to lift the ban and thus give American airlines oxygen. It should be noted, however, that a similar measure is currently in place for U.S. citizens traveling to almost all EU states.
Lastminute Christmas in New York?
Before getting caught up in easy enthusiasm, it is good to remember that as far as Italian citizens are concerned, the DPCM of November 4 Confirmed the ban on travel to the U.S. for non-essential travel. Moreover, the current pandemic situation in the U.S. i is anything but under control, as more than 176,000 cases and 2,200 deaths were recorded yesterday alone.
So we will have to wait to see, once the U.S. lifts the ban on EU citizens, how individual states will behave.
Already this summer we have seen different strategies with countries such as Croatia, Slovenia and Greece welcoming American tourists while the rest of the European nations have maintained the ban. Currently England and Ireland welcome passengers from the U.S. but oblige them to undergo 14 days of quarantine. In order for "free" travel to the U.S. to return, it will also be necessary for measures to be decided for incoming passengers. Needless to say, if the quarantine requirement remains, it will be complicated to go for tourism.
Quarantine, vaccine, no control?
In recent days, the first covid tested flight from New York landed in London, a solution similar to the one devised by Alitalia on Rome/Milan. Also in England, an alternative solution is being explored to reduce quarantine to less than a week for those coming from the United States.
The procedure would require travelers to be swabbed 4 days before departure, a second swab upon arrival, and a third swab after 4 days, but at the moment it is only a hypothesis that will need to be endorsed by all individual state health agencies before it goes into effect.
Given the political situation in the U.S., with the impending change of tenant in the White House, Trump may surprise everyone and give this gift to American companies that have been asking the government since this summer to loosen the bans.
Last but not least, the procedure for obtaining ESTA, or the electronic visa to enter the U.S., will also have to be reinstated; all previously issued visas have been invalidated.
