Chuck Schumer Premature Travel Ban China

Chuck Schumer Premature Travel Ban China

When Senator Chuck Schumer introduced a travel ban from China in January 2020, he was met with both criticism and praise. Though the intention behind the ban was to limit the spread of the novel coronavirus, which was first detected in Wuhan, China, some believed the travel ban came too late and may not have had any real effect. Many still contest the Senator’s decision to introduce the ban.

Although it is often referred to as a travel “ban” in the media, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described the measure introduced by the Senator as a “restriction.” The restriction barred all foreign nationals inside China from entering the United States and was effective from February 2 until February 22. This decision did not apply to U.S. citizens and Permanent Residents. It also did not affect flights from Europe, even though a significant portion of the coronavirus cases originated in that part of the world.

The World Health Organization declared Covid-19 a global pandemic on March 11 and in response to that declaration, the DHS extended the China restriction for an indefinite amount of time. Though the majority of employers do not think the United States took the necessary steps to address the issue in a timely manner, their assessment could be affected by the large losses in the tourism sector.

Experts were divided on how to properly handle the outbreak in China. Some favoured a quarantine to contain the virus, while others argued that a travel ban would be more effective in reducing the spread of the disease. Despite the debate, many are in agreement that the ban had limited, if any, impact. Steven Woolf, a physician and professor of family and population health, said: “By the time that the United States imposed a ban on travelers from China, it was too late.”

In fact, new data from Harvard suggests that travel restrictions had a gathe the biggest effect if introduced in early January. According to the study, had the United States introduced a travel ban promptly at the start of the crisis, it could have prevented up to 95 per cent of cases into the US.

It was not until March 13 that a comprehensive travel ban was enacted, incl

Bernice Sorrells

Bernice A. Sorrells is a freelance journalist and travel writer from the United States. She has written extensively about China, covering topics such as culture, history, politics, and economics. Bernice has traveled extensively throughout China, visiting many of its provinces and cities.

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