FCO warns ‘against all but essential travel’ to America

The British Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has warned on Sunday “against all but essential travel” to America.

The announcement comes after the White House has banned all flights from the UK to the US from 4am GMT on Tuesday.

The US ordered the travel ban in response to the growing number of people becoming infected with coronavirus across the UK.

An FCO spokesperson said, “We are advising against all but essential travel to the USA following the US government announcement imposing restrictions on travel from the UK.”

The FCO website says on their website, “The US authorities announced on 14 March that travel restrictions imposed previously on Schengen zone countries would now be extended to the UK (and Ireland).

“From 23:59 eastern daylight time on 16 March (03:59 GMT 17 March) it will not be possible for many British nationals to enter the USA.

“We therefore advise against all but essential travel to the US, due to the travel restrictions.

“British travellers currently in the USA will be allowed to leave.

“The new US travel restrictions are likely to affect commercial flight schedules to the UK and we recommend that British travellers who wish to leave by air make appropriate arrangements to ensure their travel plans can be met.”

The British government have stepped up their “wartime” extreme measures in response to the coronavirus pandemic, but Boris Johnson has refused to rule out placing entire cities in the UK in total lockdown.

ITV’s Shebab Khan, who spoke with government sources said on Saturday evening, “The approach and strategy is to delay the spread of the virus so the measures could include closing down schools, bars, clubs, shops, restaurants.

“Tonight, the government has refused to rule out locking down entire cities if it gets to that stage.

As of Saturday, the UK has now surpassed 1,100 confirmed cases of coronavirus as the pandemic spreads globally, bringing the total number of cases in the UK to 1,140 on Saturday afternoon, up from 820 this morning.

10 more people have died in the UK, bringing the total confirmed coronavirus deaths to 21 across the UK.

Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said the ten who died “were in the at-risk groups.”