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Couples Separated by Europe’s Travel Bans Fight to Be Reunited Couples Separated by Europe’s Travel Bans Fight to Be Reunited
(32 minutes later)
LONDON — Every morning, Marisa Lobato wakes up and checks the news to see if the travel restrictions have changed.LONDON — Every morning, Marisa Lobato wakes up and checks the news to see if the travel restrictions have changed.
She lives in São Paulo, Brazil, and her fiancé, Horst Schlereth, is in Germany. Before the coronavirus put everything on hold, Ms. Lobato had planned to go to Germany this spring to prepare for their wedding. Now their daily calls are filled with fretting over when they will reunite.She lives in São Paulo, Brazil, and her fiancé, Horst Schlereth, is in Germany. Before the coronavirus put everything on hold, Ms. Lobato had planned to go to Germany this spring to prepare for their wedding. Now their daily calls are filled with fretting over when they will reunite.
“We feel completely stuck in this situation,” she said. “I normally don’t cry in front of him, but I cry alone. It’s really a horrible feeling.”“We feel completely stuck in this situation,” she said. “I normally don’t cry in front of him, but I cry alone. It’s really a horrible feeling.”
The pair are among a number of separated, unmarried couples who have rallied on social media for changes to the European Union’s travel restrictions, using the hashtag #LoveIsNotTourism and #LoveIsEssential. Unlike most married people, they do not have a right to enter the European Union to be reunited with their partners.The pair are among a number of separated, unmarried couples who have rallied on social media for changes to the European Union’s travel restrictions, using the hashtag #LoveIsNotTourism and #LoveIsEssential. Unlike most married people, they do not have a right to enter the European Union to be reunited with their partners.
Now, the European Commission, the bloc's executive branch, is throwing its weight behind the cause, urging member states to exempt unmarried people with partners in Europe from the travel ban. But only Denmark and Sweden have adopted any of the recommendations and couples say even border guards in member states are confused about the regulations.Now, the European Commission, the bloc's executive branch, is throwing its weight behind the cause, urging member states to exempt unmarried people with partners in Europe from the travel ban. But only Denmark and Sweden have adopted any of the recommendations and couples say even border guards in member states are confused about the regulations.
Late last month, the European Union announced plans to reopen travel on July 1 to visitors from 15 countries, in an attempt to salvage the bloc’s peak tourism season. The United States, Brazil and Russia, among other countries, were notably excluded.Late last month, the European Union announced plans to reopen travel on July 1 to visitors from 15 countries, in an attempt to salvage the bloc’s peak tourism season. The United States, Brazil and Russia, among other countries, were notably excluded.
Some of the countries that are still banned aren’t close to meeting the E.U. requirements for controlling the coronavirus before they can resume travel, and could need weeks, months or more to reach those standards.Some of the countries that are still banned aren’t close to meeting the E.U. requirements for controlling the coronavirus before they can resume travel, and could need weeks, months or more to reach those standards.
Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, is an outspoken advocate for the separated couples. Her office said there are no official statistics on the number of people affected, but a Facebook support group for couples separated during the pandemic has around 3,000 members.Ylva Johansson, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, is an outspoken advocate for the separated couples. Her office said there are no official statistics on the number of people affected, but a Facebook support group for couples separated during the pandemic has around 3,000 members.
While the commission has recommended that member nations allow unmarried couples to reunite, Ms. Johansson said, it is up to each country to set its own policy.While the commission has recommended that member nations allow unmarried couples to reunite, Ms. Johansson said, it is up to each country to set its own policy.
“For me it’s important that you have as broad as possible of a definition of a couple that are really a true couple,” she said. “But the exact definition of that is for the member states to decide.”“For me it’s important that you have as broad as possible of a definition of a couple that are really a true couple,” she said. “But the exact definition of that is for the member states to decide.”
Many people who want that definition loosened have pointed to the approach that Denmark adopted this month — which allows visitors who can prove they are in durable relationships and test negative for Covid-19 to enter the country — as an example for other nations in the bloc.Many people who want that definition loosened have pointed to the approach that Denmark adopted this month — which allows visitors who can prove they are in durable relationships and test negative for Covid-19 to enter the country — as an example for other nations in the bloc.
Several members of the European Parliament have written letters calling on other European leaders to implement more open policies, and dozens signed an open letter to Horst Seehofer, the German interior minister, urging him to recognize unmarried couples.Several members of the European Parliament have written letters calling on other European leaders to implement more open policies, and dozens signed an open letter to Horst Seehofer, the German interior minister, urging him to recognize unmarried couples.
“The family of the 21st century goes beyond the official marriage,” Moritz Körner, a European Parliament member from Germany, wrote to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy, in one of several open letters he has sent to European leaders.“The family of the 21st century goes beyond the official marriage,” Moritz Körner, a European Parliament member from Germany, wrote to Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte of Italy, in one of several open letters he has sent to European leaders.
Until the virus changed everything, Miriam Paffen, who is German, and her partner, Javier, who is Argentine and a resident of Brazil, made trans-Atlantic journeys to spend time together. Their last visit was in December.Until the virus changed everything, Miriam Paffen, who is German, and her partner, Javier, who is Argentine and a resident of Brazil, made trans-Atlantic journeys to spend time together. Their last visit was in December.
“We actually have no idea when we can see each other again,” Ms. Paffen said.“We actually have no idea when we can see each other again,” Ms. Paffen said.
Ryann McQuaid, an American living in New York, and her partner Hannah Maes, who is Belgian and lives in Brussels, are in a long-term relationship, but for the past year have been long distance. They typically saw each other every three months before lockdowns derailed their plans.Ryann McQuaid, an American living in New York, and her partner Hannah Maes, who is Belgian and lives in Brussels, are in a long-term relationship, but for the past year have been long distance. They typically saw each other every three months before lockdowns derailed their plans.
They have been frantically calling officials, searching for answers to when — and whether — they can be together again in Brussels.They have been frantically calling officials, searching for answers to when — and whether — they can be together again in Brussels.
“Everyone we get in touch with will point us to another official,” Ms. McQuaid said. “We’ve never had to sort of justify our relationship in that sense before. So that’s also just been very frustrating.”“Everyone we get in touch with will point us to another official,” Ms. McQuaid said. “We’ve never had to sort of justify our relationship in that sense before. So that’s also just been very frustrating.”
Border restrictions in countries outside Europe have also split unmarried couples apart during the pandemic. Couples in the United States and Canada have found themselves separated for months by the closure of their countries’ shared border.Border restrictions in countries outside Europe have also split unmarried couples apart during the pandemic. Couples in the United States and Canada have found themselves separated for months by the closure of their countries’ shared border.
A visa delay has prevented Morgan Bretnall, who is based in Britain, from traveling to the United States to be with her fiancée, Stacey, an American currently living in Puerto Rico.A visa delay has prevented Morgan Bretnall, who is based in Britain, from traveling to the United States to be with her fiancée, Stacey, an American currently living in Puerto Rico.
Updated July 7, 2020 Updated July 15, 2020
The coronavirus can stay aloft for hours in tiny droplets in stagnant air, infecting people as they inhale, mounting scientific evidence suggests. This risk is highest in crowded indoor spaces with poor ventilation, and may help explain super-spreading events reported in meatpacking plants, churches and restaurants. It’s unclear how often the virus is spread via these tiny droplets, or aerosols, compared with larger droplets that are expelled when a sick person coughs or sneezes, or transmitted through contact with contaminated surfaces, said Linsey Marr, an aerosol expert at Virginia Tech. Aerosols are released even when a person without symptoms exhales, talks or sings, according to Dr. Marr and more than 200 other experts, who have outlined the evidence in an open letter to the World Health Organization.
Common symptoms include fever, a dry cough, fatigue and difficulty breathing or shortness of breath. Some of these symptoms overlap with those of the flu, making detection difficult, but runny noses and stuffy sinuses are less common. The C.D.C. has also added chills, muscle pain, sore throat, headache and a new loss of the sense of taste or smell as symptoms to look out for. Most people fall ill five to seven days after exposure, but symptoms may appear in as few as two days or as many as 14 days.
Scientists around the country have tried to identify everyday materials that do a good job of filtering microscopic particles. In recent tests, HEPA furnace filters scored high, as did vacuum cleaner bags, fabric similar to flannel pajamas and those of 600-count pillowcases. Other materials tested included layered coffee filters and scarves and bandannas. These scored lower, but still captured a small percentage of particles.
A commentary published this month on the website of the British Journal of Sports Medicine points out that covering your face during exercise “comes with issues of potential breathing restriction and discomfort” and requires “balancing benefits versus possible adverse events.” Masks do alter exercise, says Cedric X. Bryant, the president and chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise, a nonprofit organization that funds exercise research and certifies fitness professionals. “In my personal experience,” he says, “heart rates are higher at the same relative intensity when you wear a mask.” Some people also could experience lightheadedness during familiar workouts while masked, says Len Kravitz, a professor of exercise science at the University of New Mexico.
The steroid, dexamethasone, is the first treatment shown to reduce mortality in severely ill patients, according to scientists in Britain. The drug appears to reduce inflammation caused by the immune system, protecting the tissues. In the study, dexamethasone reduced deaths of patients on ventilators by one-third, and deaths of patients on oxygen by one-fifth.
The coronavirus emergency relief package gives many American workers paid leave if they need to take time off because of the virus. It gives qualified workers two weeks of paid sick leave if they are ill, quarantined or seeking diagnosis or preventive care for coronavirus, or if they are caring for sick family members. It gives 12 weeks of paid leave to people caring for children whose schools are closed or whose child care provider is unavailable because of the coronavirus. It is the first time the United States has had widespread federally mandated paid leave, and includes people who don’t typically get such benefits, like part-time and gig economy workers. But the measure excludes at least half of private-sector workers, including those at the country’s largest employers, and gives small employers significant leeway to deny leave.
So far, the evidence seems to show it does. A widely cited paper published in April suggests that people are most infectious about two days before the onset of coronavirus symptoms and estimated that 44 percent of new infections were a result of transmission from people who were not yet showing symptoms. Recently, a top expert at the World Health Organization stated that transmission of the coronavirus by people who did not have symptoms was “very rare,” but she later walked back that statement.
Touching contaminated objects and then infecting ourselves with the germs is not typically how the virus spreads. But it can happen. A number of studies of flu, rhinovirus, coronavirus and other microbes have shown that respiratory illnesses, including the new coronavirus, can spread by touching contaminated surfaces, particularly in places like day care centers, offices and hospitals. But a long chain of events has to happen for the disease to spread that way. The best way to protect yourself from coronavirus — whether it’s surface transmission or close human contact — is still social distancing, washing your hands, not touching your face and wearing masks.
A study by European scientists is the first to document a strong statistical link between genetic variations and Covid-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Having Type A blood was linked to a 50 percent increase in the likelihood that a patient would need to get oxygen or to go on a ventilator, according to the new study.
If air travel is unavoidable, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Most important: Wash your hands often, and stop touching your face. If possible, choose a window seat. A study from Emory University found that during flu season, the safest place to sit on a plane is by a window, as people sitting in window seats had less contact with potentially sick people. Disinfect hard surfaces. When you get to your seat and your hands are clean, use disinfecting wipes to clean the hard surfaces at your seat like the head and arm rest, the seatbelt buckle, the remote, screen, seat back pocket and the tray table. If the seat is hard and nonporous or leather or pleather, you can wipe that down, too. (Using wipes on upholstered seats could lead to a wet seat and spreading of germs rather than killing them.)
If you’ve been exposed to the coronavirus or think you have, and have a fever or symptoms like a cough or difficulty breathing, call a doctor. They should give you advice on whether you should be tested, how to get tested, and how to seek medical treatment without potentially infecting or exposing others.
While U.S. travelers can technically travel to Britain, they must enter a mandatory two-week quarantine, which Ms. Bretnall said is unfeasible. The couple became engaged in December.While U.S. travelers can technically travel to Britain, they must enter a mandatory two-week quarantine, which Ms. Bretnall said is unfeasible. The couple became engaged in December.
“Right now, our life is on hold,” Ms. Bretnall said.“Right now, our life is on hold,” Ms. Bretnall said.
In Europe, some married couples have only recently been reunited after months apart.In Europe, some married couples have only recently been reunited after months apart.
Flavia Negwer, a German, and her American husband, Jeff Wong, spent months wondering how to get Mr. Wong back to Germany despite travel restriction. He had traveled to the New York area to visit family and prepare for an upcoming move to the United States this fall.Flavia Negwer, a German, and her American husband, Jeff Wong, spent months wondering how to get Mr. Wong back to Germany despite travel restriction. He had traveled to the New York area to visit family and prepare for an upcoming move to the United States this fall.
But his trip of a few weeks turned into months when Europe banned nonessential travelers, leaving Mr. Wong and Ms. Negwer unsure when they might see each other again. Adding to the uncertainty, his German visa expired while he was stranded in the United States.But his trip of a few weeks turned into months when Europe banned nonessential travelers, leaving Mr. Wong and Ms. Negwer unsure when they might see each other again. Adding to the uncertainty, his German visa expired while he was stranded in the United States.
Last week, after the European Union’s new travel guidelines came into effect, they called embassies, European officials and even the German border police to better understand the rules before Mr. Wong attempted to enter the country.Last week, after the European Union’s new travel guidelines came into effect, they called embassies, European officials and even the German border police to better understand the rules before Mr. Wong attempted to enter the country.
They got no clear answers, but he decided to attempt to return to Germany, anyway.They got no clear answers, but he decided to attempt to return to Germany, anyway.
“I felt like I had a better understanding of the E.U. guidelines and rules than the officials that we talked to at the border,” Mr. Wong said.“I felt like I had a better understanding of the E.U. guidelines and rules than the officials that we talked to at the border,” Mr. Wong said.
He was eventually let in after showing the expired visa that indicated he had lived and worked in Germany for years.He was eventually let in after showing the expired visa that indicated he had lived and worked in Germany for years.
The German border police said in a statement that they have clear guidelines and are actually staffing a special center that looks into and decides on unusual cases such as married couples like Mr. Wong and Ms. Negwer.The German border police said in a statement that they have clear guidelines and are actually staffing a special center that looks into and decides on unusual cases such as married couples like Mr. Wong and Ms. Negwer.
The couple said that in the push for the bloc to reopen, driven largely by an economic agenda, separated couples were forgotten.The couple said that in the push for the bloc to reopen, driven largely by an economic agenda, separated couples were forgotten.
“The whole E.U. is trying reopen for tourism, for economic reasons, but on the other hand they are also completely disregarding these couples,” Mr. Wong said.“The whole E.U. is trying reopen for tourism, for economic reasons, but on the other hand they are also completely disregarding these couples,” Mr. Wong said.
Ms. Lobato, who is separated from her German fiancée, said that while she understands the seriousness of the public health concerns, the right of people to see their partners must be taken into account.Ms. Lobato, who is separated from her German fiancée, said that while she understands the seriousness of the public health concerns, the right of people to see their partners must be taken into account.
“We all know this virus is going to stay here for a long time,” she said. “So it’s not possible for us to go for one or one and a half years without each other.”“We all know this virus is going to stay here for a long time,” she said. “So it’s not possible for us to go for one or one and a half years without each other.”
Christopher F. Scheutze contributed reporting from Berlin.Christopher F. Scheutze contributed reporting from Berlin.