Coronavirus: Foreign Office advises against travel to the US
The Foreign Office has advised against “all but essential travel” to the US, after Donald Trump extended the country’s travel ban to include the UK and Ireland.
Travel from the UK to the US will be banned from 4am on Tuesday amidst increasing numbers of confirmed coronavirus cases.
Responding to the ban, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today said: “The FCO advise against all but essential travel to the USA, due to restrictions put in place by the US government with effect from 03:59 GMT 17 March in response to the outbreak of coronavirus.”
Trump announced this week that all European travel to the US would be banned, except for countries in the Schengen zone like the UK and Ireland.
The move sent stocks plummeting around the globe, with the FTSE 100 benchmark index falling 10.87 per cent – its largest fall since the 1987 Black Monday crash.
Airlines have been among the worst affected businesses from the spread of Covid-19, with British Airways warning that staff would have to be laid off.
Regional carrier Flybe went bust because of the effect the pandemic had on bookings, while Ryanair has told staff they would be forced to take leave.
In a memo to staff BA chief executive Alex Cruz said: “We can no longer sustain our current level of employment and jobs would be lost – perhaps for a short term, perhaps longer term.”
The number of confirmed UK coronavirus cases has now surpassed 1100, with the death toll at 21.
Health secretary Matt Hancock advised today that over-70s will soon be told to self-isolate for up to four months.
Mass gatherings of more than 500 people are also set to be banned next week.