The CDC Study Found That The U.S. Travel Ban Came Too Late For New York City
Washington's travel ban to stop the coronavirus from entering the United States from China and Europe is too late, according to the latest case analysis from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The United States restricted travel from China and Europe on Feb. 2 and March 13. However, according to the analysis, by March 8, Covid-19 had been circulating in various neighborhoods in New York City, and by March 15, community transmission of the virus had become widespread. The virus that spreads most closely matches the strain circulating in Europe rather than in China. President Donald Trump has repeatedly blamed the virus for failing to stop its spread in the United States. When the Trump administration imposed travel restrictions on Europe, the importation of the virus and community spread of the disease had already begun in New York City, the report said. When the outbreak began in New York City, testing was restricted, allowing people with no known cases to transmit the virus. Trump has repeatedly cited his travel ban as proof that his administration is responding effectively to the epidemic. Last Tuesday, he said, "We have saved millions of people, probably millions of lives." The new study examined data collected by the New York Department of Health and Psychology on March 1, 20, the beginning of the pandemic in the United States. The Department of Public Information announced on 8 March that the community was expanding. The departments examined samples from emergency room patients with flu-like symptoms. Of the 544 samples, 36 (6.6%) were positive for the new coronavirus. By performing additional genetic sequencing on the samples, the strain of the disease more closely resembled the virus circulating in Europe. That means the new coronavirus may have arrived in New York via travelers from Europe or other parts of the United States, the report said.
