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Law360 (March 11, 2020, 10:41 PM EDT) -- President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he will suspend nearly all travel from Europe to the U.S. for 30 days as part of the administration's effort to contain the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.
Hours after the World Health Organization formally declared the COVID-19 outbreak a global pandemic, Trump addressed the nation from the White House to announce that a 30-day suspension of all travel to the U.S. from Europe, excluding the United Kingdom, will take effect at 11:59 p.m. on Friday.
Trump admonished the European Union for what he perceived as a lax approach to the outbreak of the virus after it originated in the Hubei province of China at the end of 2019. The U.S. restricted travel from China at the end of February.
"The European Union failed to take the same precautions and restrict travel from China and other hotspots," Trump said. "As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe."
Trump added that the White House is attempting to maintain flexibility as the conditions surrounding the outbreak shift rapidly and unpredictably. The restrictions "will be adjusted subject to conditions on the ground," he said.
He also said that exemptions will be granted for Americans traveling from Europe who have undergone "appropriate screenings."
Trump's proclamation further clarified that the restrictions will not apply to spouses and children of U.S. citizens, nor to siblings and parents of U.S. citizens that are under 21.
The president initially appeared to suggest that trade and cargo from Europe would also be restricted, but a formal proclamation from the White House clarified that the restrictions apply only to travelers. Still, Trump said the administration was keeping its options open for future adjustments.
"Anything coming from Europe to the United States is what we are discussing," he said.
The European Commission did not immediately respond to requests for comment after business hours in Brussels.
The WHO has documented more than 125,000 cases of the novel coronavirus worldwide, with 4,600 deaths. In the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 938 cases with 29 deaths.
The outbreak has rocked financial markets and caused widespread cancellation of massive public events, roiling the U.S. economy. During his address, Trump asked Congress to provide $50 billion worth of funding to help the Small Business Administration furnish loans to businesses negatively affected by the virus. He also called for lawmakers to enact a payroll tax cut.
--Editing by Brian Baresch.
Update: This story has been updated with more information about exceptions to the travel restrictions.
For a reprint of this article, please contact reprints@law360.com.
