With Covid-19 travel restrictions, US takes a further step towards isolation

While having not completely terminated international travel, the US took a major step in that direction on March 19 with the issuance of a Global Level 4 Health Advisory by the State Department.
An advisory of the intensity of Level 4 – Do Not Travel – basically notifies American citizens that their foreign travel will almost certainly face major disruptions and that a return home may become impossible as flights are bring curtailed, while American embassies and consulates abroad will likely have severely reduced capabilities to assist them since many US diplomatic personnel are being withdrawn whenever they can be moved to safe areas.
Perhaps the most significant warning in the March 19 advisory follows, clearly informing US citizens that their return home may become impossible: “In countries where commercial departure options remain available, US citizens who live in the United States should arrange for an immediate return to the United States unless they are prepared to remain abroad for an indefinite period.”
This announcement came a day after the US-Canada border had been closed to tourists by mutual agreement, although commercial shipments and daily commuters are exempted. A similar trade-exempting border closure agreement is expected to be announced with Mexico March 20.
The State Department also warned Americans residing abroad to batten down the hatches and prepare for a long stay: “U.S. citizens who live abroad should avoid all international travel.”
The Department had issued a Global Level 3 Health Advisory (Reconsider Travel) last week; in some areas such as China and Mongolia Level 4 Health Advisories had already been issued.
Prior to the Covid crisis, Level 4 Advisories have been used on occasion, but mainly for political/security and not health reasons (Syria, Iran, Yemen and North Korea).
Diplomatic staffing overseas under pressure
US Government operations in overseas embassies and consulates are being managed in accordance with the situation in each country, accordingly, diplomatic/consular staff is being withdrawn from areas considered medically hazardous, sharply reducing the State Department’s ability to offer consular assistance if needed in the Covid hot spots.
However, in most cases diplomatic staffers are still working remotely from their homes abroad if deemed safe.  Routine visa services have been suspended in most, but not all, US diplomatic posts and passport issuance in the US has also been curtailed to the bare minimum.
Citizens trapped abroad
Several groups of American citizens trapped abroad have been increasingly in the media spotlight, including a number of students in Peru who may have downplayed earlier warnings to leave. The subject risks becoming politicised in Washington if emergency flights are not ordered, as some countries have already done, to get these citizens home.
In these cases, complaints from American family members are instantly relayed to their representatives in Congress, which sets the stage for a Washington media frenzy which Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has already encountered on national TV.
Restrictions on non-citizen entry already in place
Non-citizen entry into the US has been steadily curtailed throughout the month of March due to the Covid outbreak, including a series of emergency travel restrictions that initially covering China and Asian countries. Returning US citizens and permanent residents from many parts of Asia have been ordered into quarantine on arrival in one of the 11 US airports set up to handle arrivals.
The sharp restrictions on travellers from the EU – initially the Schengen Zone, which was then extended to the UK and Ireland – countries announced by President Trump on March 11 were received angrily and bitterly by EU leaders due to a lack of consultation from Washington, but they remain in place.
While all of these measures are officially temporary in nature, no realistic end date for the travel bans has been announced and none appear to be on the immediate horizon.