Russia: Government bans entry of foreign nationals due to COVID-19 March 18 /update 15

Event

On Monday, March 16, Russian government officials announced that foreign nationals and stateless people will be prohibited from entering the country from Wednesday, March 18, to Friday, May 1, to prevent further spread of the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Diplomatic representatives, airplane crew members, and some other select categories of people will be exempt from the restriction.

On Saturday, March 14, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin announced that school attendance would be optional starting on Monday until further notice. He also announced that passengers arriving in Russia from countries that are heavily affected by the virus and those living with them will be required to remain in self-isolation for at least two weeks.

To date, there have been over 90 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Russia. Further international spread of the virus is expected over the coming days and weeks.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Human-to-human and patient-to-medical staff transmission of the virus have been confirmed. Many of the associated fatalities have been due to pneumonia caused by the virus.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 a pandemic.

Pneumonia symptoms include dry cough, chest pain, fever, and labored breathing. Pneumonia can be contagious and can be transmitted from human to human. The influenza virus, or the flu, is a common cause of viral pneumonia.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the risk of COVID-19 transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by applying an alcohol-based hand rub or washing with soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, seek medical care urgently and share your previous travel history with your health care provider.

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