Closed borders and flight bans: Countries are taking extraordinary measures to tackle Covid-19
HERE IN IRELAND, borders have not closed. While citizens have been advised against all travel – with the exception of to Northern Ireland – the government has not yet introduced the drastic measures seen in other countries.
Last night, the Department of Foreign Affairs
called on all Irish tourists in Spain to travel home by Saturday, while yesterday it also advised Irish citizens, unless legally resident in Germany, to avoid travel there.
Earlier this week, EU leaders took the dramatic step of closing the EU’s borders to non-essential travel for at least 30 days to non-EU citizens – one of the rare coordinated responses to the crisis so far, although Ireland is yet to decide on whether to take part in the ban.
In Germany, one of the largest European economies, temporary border controls have been introduced with Austria, Switzerland, France, Luxembourg and Denmark
France has taken similar measures and closed all land borders on Tuesday.
Poland, the Czech Republic, Denmark and several other countries had already decided to close borders or introduce restrictions to tackle the crisis.
Poland, for instance, has suspended all domestic and international flights, while Czech leaders have also sealed off an area in the eastern part of the country.
