The US Department of Defense has introduced travel restrictions for its military and civilian personnel, as well as their family members, to countries most severely affected by the new coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) for the next two months effective Friday, according to a memo from Defense Secretary Mark Esper
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 12th March, 2020) The US Department of Defense has introduced travel restrictions for its military and civilian personnel, as well as their family members, to countries most severely affected by the new coronavirus diseases (COVID-19) for the next two months effective Friday, according to a memo from Defense Secretary Mark Esper.
"Effective March 13, 2020, all DoD uniformed personnel, civilian personnel and family members traveling to, from, or through Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Travel Health Notices Level 3 (COVID-19) designated locations, will stop movement for the next 60 days," the memo read.
The CDC Warning Level 3 means "widespread sustained transmission"; the list currently includes China, Italy, South Korea, Iran, Venezuela as well as all 29 member states of the European Union.
According to the Pentagon memo, exceptions might be granted to overseas trip "(1) determined to be mission essential; (2) necessary for humanitarian reasons; (3) warranted due to extreme hardship."
Also effective Friday, the United States is suspending for 30 days the entry of European nationals and travelers from Europe, save for the United Kingdom, as per US President Donald Trump's proclamation announced earlier in the day, whereas US nationals and permanent residents along with their family members are exempt from this ban.
The infection toll in the US currently stands at 938 with 29 fatalities. The toll worldwide is over 118,000 cases with 4,292 fatalities, according to the latest situation report from the World Health Organization after it proclaimed COVID-19 a pandemic.
