The ESTA travel guide and the Corona Virus situation for USA travel
ESTA Visa and the Coronavirus situation in the USA
ESTA travel and the Corona Virus situation for USA travel – Your ESTA application document. No matter, if you are an entrepreneur, work for a large corporation or if you are a tourist before you can start your Business venture to the United States, you’ll either need a regular USA Visa or an ESTA USA Visa. You can find the online ESTA application form here. Welcome to our ESTA Visa travel guide for Atlanta. “ESTA” stands for Electronic System for Travel Authorisation. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security manages the VWP which issues the ESTA Visa USA.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA travel and the Corona Virus situation for USA travel
The ESTA application
You can complete your ESTA application here on this website in minutes, and receive an ESTA Visa USA by email within hours. An ESTA Visa USA will be valid for 2 years and allow for multiple entries into the United States. A regular USA Visa means that you will have to pay a visit to the US Embassy to apply and it will take many days or weeks for the process to complete. So, instead of a conventional US Visa, complete the ESTA application online here and be on your way within hours.
ESTA USA & Coronavirus – The latest Update
The ESTA application & Corona USA travel restrictions
It is still possible to apply for an ESTA despite the Corona Pandemic (Covid-19). As the situation is only temporary and thanks to the rapid development of devices for testing for the virus, as well as medications for curing it, the travel ban will surely be dissolved within the next few weeks. At that time there will be a huge rush for ESTAs, which may lead to delays.
Please note, however, that US immigration authorities may also refuse entry into the US at this time to travelers with a valid ESTA if they pose a potential health risk to the US population. For the time being, this applies until April 12, 2020 but will most likely be extended until the end of April. This applies to all travelers who have been in Germany, Austria or any other European country during the 14 days prior to their departure for the United States.
Before you apply for your ESTA USA, read all the information about corona measures in the USA here.
Now let’s look at some facts:
Coronavirus (ICD10) is a family of viruses that cause respiratory infections. The first human coronaviruses were isolated for the first time in 1937. However, it was only 1965 that the virus received
the name of coronavirus, due to its crown-like shape. The majority of people contract some kind of common coronavirus during their lives. Yet young children are the most susceptible to be infected. The most common types to infect humans are the beta coronavirus HKU1 and OC43, and the alpha 229E and NL63.
These viruses generally only infect a single animal species. However, some coronaviruses, such as SARS-CoV, can infect people and animals. It usually spreads through close contacts like shaking hands or the air by sneezing or coughing. The virus can also transfer from one infected individual to the other by touching a very recently contaminated surface and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth.
All kinds of coronavirus have an incubation period.
This is the time it takes for the first symptoms to appear since the infection. On average, incubation periods last between 2 to 14 days. During this time, the virus is not contagious. The viral transmission tends to occur only when the symptoms come forth and for as long as they persist. In some cases, it is possible to transmit the virus even after the symptoms have been relieved. But experts currently lack the knowledge about the period of transmissibility for coronavirus.
Reports of a new coronavirus agent emerged in December 2019 after some cases were registered in China.
This particular type of virus causes the disease called coronavirus (COVID-19). Over 109 countries have registered cases of COVID-19 up to date.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA travel the Corona Virus situation for USA travel
ESTA Guide – Coronavirus in the United States
Following the news of COVID-19 cases in the Hubei Province in China, the US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued several travel warnings. The first happened on January 28th as a Level 3 Warning, asking US citizens to avoid journeys to China. On the 30th of January, the US State Department increased the alert to Level 4: Do Not Travel To China.
In the United States, the first person-to-person case was reported by the CDC on January 30th in Chicago. A day later, President Donald Trump signed an order denying entry to foreign nationals coming from China. Also on January 31st, the HHS secretary declared the Wuhan coronavirus a public health emergency in the US. On February 2nd, the first group of American citizens underwent a 14-day quarantine after returning from Wuhan, China. This was the first quarantine issued by the CDC since the 1960s. The first death by COVID-19 occurred near Seattle, Washington, on the 29th of February.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA Travel the Corona Virus
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The effect of coronavirus on flights to the USA
The coronavirus has turned our lives as we have known them upside down. Currently, the entire world is doing everything in its power to stem the spread of the virus. Some of the most important points are entry bans and the closing of borders. And this of course also affects the USA extremely strongly. But what exactly does this mean for Germans who will have to travel to the USA in future? Are ESTAs already issued still valid? And can I claim my money back for a canceled trip? You will find all answers to this question in the following article
The current status of Covid 19 in the USA
More than 1 119 100 people worldwide have now tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. More than 58 955 people have died as a result of infection with the coronavirus. In addition, 228 006 people have already recovered from an illness caused by the virus. There are almost no more countries in the world where corona infection has not yet been announced. Finally, China, Spain, Italy, and the USA are the countries most severely affected by Covid-19.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA travel the Corona Virus situation for USA travel
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ESTA USA – US Coronavirus updates
More than 1 319 100 people worldwide have now tested positive for the Covid-19 virus. More than 58 955 people have died as a result of infection with the coronavirus. In addition, 228 006 people have already recovered from an illness caused by the virus. There are almost no more countries in the world where corona infection has not yet been announced. Finally, China, Spain, Italy and the USA are the countries most severely affected by Covid-19.
Since February, the Trump administration has focused on blocking travel from China and keeping the virus out of the US.
Despite the sudden increase in domestic cases, President Donald Trump has continuously downplayed the threat posed by the epidemic. And has told the public that the official estimate of the death rate was “false”. As usual, his critics try anything to discredit him, but there may be some truth in this. Considering that in many cases the affected do not even realize they carry the Corona Virus, but all they have are light cold symptoms that go away after a few days. A fact that has been confirmed by Experts from the WHO. Taking this into consideration, it would be irresponsible to give any firm numbers on death rates, but it is safe to assume, that it is much lower than currently suggested. There have almost certainly been many more infections that have not been registered because they passed without any serious symptoms or, none at all.
People with underlying causes
When looking at cases where the viral infection has lead to death, it is very clear, that people with underlying conditions, especially those with compromised immune systems are at risk. People with a healthy immune system can shake the infection off much easier, in many cases without even developing symptoms. The problem is, that, especially in the USA, cases of obesity with all its underlying conditions, are with the highest in the world, thus causing a very high death rate. Also, drug use will affect your immune system and lower your resistance. But even in the USA, once comprehensive tests of the population for Covid 19 resistance have been undertaken, it will almost certainly show, that the proportioned death rate will be much lower, probably lower than the rate of Influenza.
The general media, however, generates wide-spreading panic.
American epidemiologists say that the initial effort to contain the virus may have delayed its arrival. Yet they also accuse the White House of being more worried about political strategies than domestic preparation measures. Among the practical issues highlighted by experts were those concerning testing kits. Instead of using approved kits by the World Health Organization, the CDC chose to develop their own. This caused a delay in testing and airport screenings, which may have facilitated the spread of the virus.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA Travel the Corona Virus
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Upcoming measures against US cases of coronavirus
Although not yet in a lockdown state like Italy is now and China’s Wuhan province was until recently, US officials have begun enforcing measures to fight the virus. One of the first actions was to implement “social distancing” and a “stay at home” plea. In other words, asking people in high-incidence areas to remain there and only go out for the most important tasks, like shopping for food. Restaurants and most “non-essential” shops and businesses have been closed.
No more need for a conventional US Visa
ESTA Travel the Corona Virus
Medications
Currently, various medications are undergoing tests on their effectiveness against the Corona Virus, like for example Remdesivir, which was used against Ebola and Tamiflu which was used against the SARS Virus. The SARS Virus also is a Corona Virus. Results should be available shortly and once an effective treatment has been found, the panic, calm down.
In the meantime, if you are traveling to the United States, or anywhere else for that matter, common sense should prevail and protect you from infection.
- No handshaking
- Keep a distance to others
- Stay well away from people showing symptoms of a cold
- On airplanes, if you can, book business or first class where you won’t be cramped in with other people
- Use a hand sterilizer every time you touched any surface in a public place
- Use alcohol-based wipes once you have taken your seat to disinfect armrests, the table, and other surfaces thereafter, disinfect your hands
- When using the bathroom at an airport or on an airplane, wear some disposable gloves and make sure to use a seat cover
- If you have a compromised immune system due to obesity, drug use, illness or if you received an organ transplant in the past and take appropriate medication, do not travel
- If you are showing symptoms of a cold, stay home, don’t travel
A word of common sense by ESTA
The Media are currently in a real feeding frenzy. They love to highlight individual cases, especially if the person was younger and died from Covid19. Now, please look at this more realistically and don’t forget, such articles sell and are aimed at your fear that you most likely experience right now.
Based on the media, the 53-year-old Bus driver who died had no underlying conditions but was a picture of health. However, he had 4 chins as can be seen in the picture, and was clearly obese. Also, how does the paper know he had no underlying condition? Was there a post mortem? Unlikely since he only died the day before and Morgues are rather busy. So they asked relatives. This is their source and a rather unreliable source at that. Yet, they drive the fear into the public with unconfirmed headlines and quite frankly, “fake news”.
ESTA suggestion
We at ESTA are an experienced Group of travelers and would like to suggest you should calm down, don’t let unsubstantiated headlines and news panic you. In a month or two you’ll be traveling again and this whole “pandemic” will seem like a past nightmare. What will not be so quickly overcome, will be the economic damage caused by all this. But even that will eventually be conquered and life will return to normal,
Your ESTA team
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ESTA Travel the Corona Virus