Sacramento Student Studying Abroad In Europe Returns Home Ahead Of Travel Ban
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — President Trump said he is suspending most travel from Europe to the U.S. for the next 30 days to try and slow the spread of coronavirus, calling this "a strong but necessary action."
The temporary ban kicks in Friday at midnight.
CBS13 spoke to business student Jordan Morehead who was studying abroad in Europe. He had just gotten home to Sacramento on Wednesday after having a feeling a travel ban might happen.
"It seemed like a travel ban was likely. So I decided to make that decision early and it just ended up happening while I was in the air," Morehead said.
Morehead said Spanish government officials weren't giving out much information and classes at his school had already been temporarily suspended once. He made back to the U.S. with just about a day to spare before President Trump's travel suspension kicks in.
"I'm feeling lucky personally for myself," Morehead said.
President Trump says the European Union failed to take necessary precautions, like restricting travel from China.
"As a result, a large number of new clusters in the United States were seeded by travelers from Europe," Trump said.
Now the goal is to stop new cases. His travel suspension includes exemptions for Americans who have had the proper screening, and the United Kingdom is not included in the ban.
At the Sacramento Airport, there was no shortage of travelers being careful, even just flying within the country. Tonya Speed brought a suitcase full of toilet paper and baby wipes to her family in Yuba City, who said they couldn't find any at local stores.
"I feel like I'm going on some mission trip over in another country or something," she said.
She changed her clothes as soon as she got off the plane, but said concern over the virus will never hold her back.
"I'm not going to stop living and I think the main thing is that everybody needs to take or precautions," Speed said.
