By George Day • Published: 16 Mar 2020 • 16:36
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Europe is set to close its borders to all ‘non-essential’ foreign arrivals in a bid to contain the spread of coronavirus across the continent.
The EU commission is considering a proposal which will impose temporary restrictions on travel for at least 30 days.
Only residents, family members and essential staff, such as healthcare workers and medical experts, will be exempt from the measures
Plans are also being made to erect ‘green lanes’ that will provide priority to transport of medical goods, food and emergency services.
Brussels announces most dramatic crackdown yet to try to curb the continent’s escalating pandemic
The EU is banning the “non-essential” entry of all foreign nationals, in the most dramatic crackdown yet to try to curb the continent’s coronavirus pandemic.
Only residents, family members and essential staff – healthcare workers and medical experts – will be exempt from the measures, to be imposed for 30 days initially.
Brussels has also announced plans to set up fast “green lanes” on major roads, to give priority to the transport of medical goods, food and the emergency services.
Announcing the radical steps, Ursula von de Leyen, the European Commission president, said they were necessary to slowdown the spread of the outbreak.
“We need to do more to reduce huge pressure on our healthcare system,” she said.
“We know that everything that reduces social interaction also reduces the spread of the virus. The less travel, the more we can contain the virus.”
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