Americans abroad and the risk of infection
Many Americans are still outside the U.S. and up to now they
haven’t made their minds.
As the coronavirus gets stronger each day, thousands of Americans
stuck overseas still wonder if they will stay and risk the infection outside their
home, or fly back to the U.S. and still risk potential Infection.
The travel was as exhausting as it was risky for the 77-year
old cancer survivor wondering how to leave Ecuador and return home to the United
States without risking catching coronavirus.
“It is not for the faint of heart and promises to be very grueling, but we wanted to gauge
interest” the American embassy in Ecuador wrote in a notice last month to Americans
looking to get back to the U.S. as the pandemic went rampant.
It was a
nonstarter to Bob Rand, who remains in Ecuador with an immune system already
compromised for previous rounds of chemotherapy to treat stage 4 cancer. Bob makes
annual trips there to visit his son working in Quito.
“I think I’d
rather be home surrounded by doctors than staying down here sick” said Mr. Bob
Those Americans
who assumed that they will stay until the pandemic is over now are rethinking
if it will be a good idea to stay and catch coronavirus, be treated in a foreign
country or risk the journey and head back home even if that means risking
infection.
The state
department is winding down government organized flights that have so far
brought home about 65.000 American citizens from across the world. Some continue
in limited numbers, in areas like the Indian subcontinent and Africa, but “these
flight will not go on forever” said Ian Brownlee, a deputy assistant secretary
of state.
However there
is still at least 17.000 American citizens abroad who have indicated they need
help, at this point, the state department is urging them to take any available flight
out.
The state
department up to now has managed to get 3.500 Americans out of Ecuador
including more than 110 this week, but Mr. Bob so far has been unable to book a
seat.
Now Mr. Bob
hopes to fly out on a united airlines next week even though it would take him lots
of time as the plan will go over Houston, Chicago before it arrives in Boston.
Which Mr. Bob had been afraid of, but at least he will be back in the United
States and he will get the chance to see his family eventually.
Source: NYT
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