(BBC) - Coronavirus: Trump suspends travel from Europe to US - '..classified [meetings] .. hampered the U.S. government’s response to the contagion..'

'Trump Responds With Blackout

The White House has ordered federal health officials to treat top-level coronavirus meetings as classified, an unusual step that has restricted information and hampered the U.S. government’s response to the contagion, according to four Trump administration officials.

“We had some very critical people who did not have security clearances who could not go,” one official said. “These should not be classified meetings. It was unnecessary.”

A spokeswoman for the HHS, Katherine McKeogh, issued a statement that did not address questions about classified meetings.

Mish Translation

Trump is frightened and clueless given his earlier comments downplaying the virus.'

- Mike "Mish" Shedlock, WHO Declares Pandemic and Trump Classifies Coronavirus Info, March 11, 2020



'A presidential proclamation issued later specified that only travellers from the 26 countries in the Schengen border-free travel area were barred.'

'US President Donald Trump has announced sweeping new travel restrictions on Europe in a bid to combat the spread of the coronavirus.

But he said the "strong but necessary" restrictions would not apply to the UK, which has 460 cases of the virus.

A presidential proclamation issued later specified that only travellers from the 26 countries in the Schengen border-free travel area were barred.

This leaves a number of other European countries as well as the UK unaffected.

"To keep new cases from entering our shores, we will be suspending all travel from Europe," Mr Trump said from the Oval Office on Wednesday evening.

"The new rules will go into effect Friday at midnight," he added. The travel order does not apply to US citizens.

There are 1,135 confirmed cases of the virus across the US, with 38 deaths so far.

..

And in an unprecedented move, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that it would suspend the season after Wednesday night's games. The decision came after one player for the Utah Jazz tested positive for the virus.

Shortly after the NBA announcement, the Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks announced that he and his wife had contracted the virus in Australia.

..

Dr Anthony Fauci, director the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told Congress that the outbreak is "going to get worse", and that depended on the ability to contain those infected.

High medical costs make the virus particularly problematic - many Americans avoid doctor's visits because of unaffordable charges. A lack of paid sick leave is another concern, as are fears about the number of available tests.

But Vice-President Mike Pence, who is in charge of the task force co-ordinating the response to the crisis, has said that "any American can be tested, no restrictions, subject to doctor's orders", and that insurers had promised to offset the charges.

- BBC, Coronavirus: Trump suspends travel from Europe to US, March 12, 2020



Context

(BBC) Coronavirus confirmed as pandemic by World Health Organization - 'He said he was "deeply concerned" by "alarming levels of inaction" over the virus.' - 'The case of the Netherlands..'

(China, Europe, US mismanagement) - Coronavirus: Wuhan doctor speaks out against authorities

Trump's coronavirus response is worse than incompetent - '..Trump .. he [is] obviously incapable of handling the problem..'


A Clearly Rattled Trump Bans All Travel From EU Starting Friday, March 12, 2020