Amid fears of re-lockdowns in Europe, and roller-coasting travel restrictions within the continent, Covid infection rates in the U.S. still rule out any immediate hopes of a lifting of the EU travel ban on Americans.
As EU officials again prepare to update the safe country travel list, there is really no chance of the U.S. being added to it based on current coronavirus trends.
Despite massive peaks in several EU countries, from Spain to France in recent weeks, the average levels of Covid infection in Europe remain far higher than those in the United States.
The epidemiology of the virus has the advantage of discovering the lifting of restrictions in countries.
But in Covid’s change that we all face, the scenario doesn’t seem to be swinging in the coming weeks in favor of the Americans.
This is why:
The stage in Europe and beyond is being transformed and can be replaced at any time. Just as cases have increased in recent weeks in some countries, which has led to border closures and restrictions, others show dramatic falls.
Some other people seem to think that Trump and the outcome of the U.S. election are weighing heavily on lifting the EU ban on U.S. residents. In fact, this is of great importance to a US-led resolution ending the ban on arrivals at Schengen.
But the EU is navigating its own with regard to restrictions and the opening of external borders to some low-risk countries.
So far, the list is very short and includes a small number of non-European countries. Currently in 10, the list has remained unchanged almost since the last revision on August 7.
With the update on hold, the number may continue to decline due to outbreaks in many countries.
Again, many African countries and several Asian countries marked in pale blue on the map above are now under EU titles and can simply be added. None of the existing list will be deleted.
Of course, after Covid infection rates, reciprocity is also key. That’s why China has still been officially added to the eusafe country list. This is the provisional eleventh of the existing list.
Nearly 3 months after President Trump hinted that the ban on US visitors to the EU could simply rise up for countries with a low number of cases, its blockade remains in place.
While cases in Europe have undergone a significant change in Covid since then, some countries justify lifting restrictions if they rely on infection rates and relative threats.
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and writer-photographer. Working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents,
I have 3 decades of experience as a journalist, foreign correspondent and travel writer-photographer. Working for print, virtual and radio media on 4 continents, I am also an experienced hotel journalist and writer of travel guides and cultural histories in Australia, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland and Borneo. Deep on the road between my Parisian and Australian bases, I write for Forbes with a globetrotting attitude and a topicality in travel, culture, hospitality, art and architecture. My hobby is to capture the unique people, situations and occasions I encounter along the way, whether in words and images. I have a bachelor’s degree in professional writing from the University of Canberra, a master’s degree in European journalism from Robert Schuman University in Strasbourg and a member of the Society of Travel Writers of the United States. Love for my wild local island of Tasmania fuels my commitment to sustainable travel and conservation.