A travel ban on China has been demanded by a group of five senators in a letter to President Biden, citing an alarming increase in an unidentified respiratory ailment within the communist nation.
Sens. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.; JD Vance, R-Ohio; Rick Scott, R-Fla.; Tommy Tuberville, R-Alabama; and Mike Braun, R-Ind., authored the letter on Friday.
It urges Vice President Biden to promptly impose travel restrictions between the United States and China until additional information regarding the dangers posed by the new illness is gathered.
“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCP’s obfuscation of the truth, and lack of transparency, robbed the United States of vital knowledge about the disease and its origin,” the lawmakers stated in the letter.
“That means we should immediately restrict travel between the United States and [China] until we know more about the dangers posed by this new illness.” it continued.
“A ban on travel now could save our country from death, lockdowns, mandates, and further outbreaks later.” they added.
Unidentified cases of pediatric pneumonia and other respiratory illnesses have increased in China.
As a model for such an action, the senators cited the efficacy of former President Donald Trump’s travel ban on China, which went into effect on January 31, 2020.
Since mid-October, China has reported an increase in cases of an unidentified illness that it attributes to pneumonia caused by known pathogens, according to the legislators’ correspondence.
Reportedly, this disease poses a unique threat to minors and has reportedly inundated hospitals in the northern region of the nation.
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