So you're supposed to die alone? (COVID-19)

[cacolac323 11]

A provocative title, but hear me out.

 

With the ban for citizens of many countries to visit the U.S., and the possibility (still statistically rare, but real) of getting sick/dying in the U.S. ... this means an American resident whose non-US family (in my case, parents, sister) live in one of the forbidden countries, wouldn't be able to rush to my side if I were very sick?

 

Wow.

 

Now, I'm aware that this dilemma is in fact well known to, for example, undocumented immigrants who are in the U.S. and cannot travel to see dying close relative in their home country, when they are not sure they could go back to the U.S. ... 

 

But so the question is, Should you become very sick in the U.S. and when your entire family lives in Europe (and is not American), what is the last-minute recourse to allow these family members to travel to the U.S. to be with you in the U.S. if you are sick? BTW, I have no spouse or children, in the U.S. or elsewhere. I have parents and a sister -- but we are all adults, so they don't meet the definition of 'immediate family members' allowed to travel to the U.S. to be with their citizen/permanent resident relative, since the citizen or permanent resident has to be 21 in order for the immediate family member to be be allowed to travel.

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

9 minutes ago, cacolac323 said:

But so the question is, Should you become very sick in the U.S. and when your entire family lives in Europe (and is not American), what is the last-minute recourse to allow these family members to travel to the U.S. to be with you in the U.S. if you are sick?

I know of no recourse......unfortunate....but that is the reality during a pandemic.

[JFH 12,190]

It’s no different than any other time. A non-resident or non-citizen needs a B-2 visa or a VWP privilege to visit someone here. That was never guaranteed even before Coronavirus was known. Regrettably people died without relatives able to visit them as they were unable to get a visa. We have seen such cases on this forum.

 

In a society such as ours, we have to consider the welfare of the entire community over the desires of the individual. 

[cacolac323 11]

32 minutes ago, JFH said:

It’s no different than any other time. A non-resident or non-citizen needs a B-2 visa or a VWP privilege to visit someone here. That was never guaranteed even before Coronavirus was known. Regrettably people died without relatives able to visit them as they were unable to get a visa. We have seen such cases on this forum.

 

In a society such as ours, we have to consider the welfare of the entire community over the desires of the individual. 

Well that _is_ different, isn't it? I mean, you ~could~ obtain a visa / esta . There was of course a question of administrative processing that could be particularly painful if you came from this or this other country, but there was an actual pathway for an emergency trip to the U.S. 

 

In this case tho, there doesn't seem to be any pathway. So that's different. 

 

(The lack of pathway actually encourages a sick immigrant US citizen/LPR person to travel to their home country if they begin to feel sick -- so they can be reunited before they worsen. It would be selfish/criminal to do so, but in fact, if the ability to organize even emergency travel becomes one-sided, this is a possible outcome. Which hardly seems desirable.)

 

 

Edited March 14, 2020 by cacolac323
clarification

[JFH 12,190]

But an approved visa or ESTA approval doesn’t guarantee admission. Those people are always at the mercy of CBP. Yes, it now means that everyone is denied for 30 days but no one has the right to admission as a visitor. 

[Crazy Cat 41,845]

9 minutes ago, cacolac323 said:

In this case tho, there doesn't seem to be any pathway. So that's different. 

Yes, it's different in some ways........there is the issue of the visitor also being infected...and all the unintended consequences.  

Edited March 14, 2020 by Lucky Cat

[arken 4,197]

When a rule is applied in extreme conditions like this one, it is meant to protect overall people in mass scales. Of course certain individuals will suffer personally during this phase but that will not count in case of national emergency.

 

Even in your case what if that visitor is infected with coronavirus and infects not only others but that sick person as well, that’s even worse.

 

 

[Naes 12,205]

If I was dying because of Coronavirus, I wouldn’t want my family anywhere near me nor in any of those flights which is basically where it can get into their system from an asymptomatic patient.

 

I’d rather die alone and say my goodbyes on skype.

Edited March 14, 2020 by Naes

[Unlockable 7,314]

I agree with @Naes on this one. There comes a point where the betterment for others come into play. Not being able to come to your side when your side when you are ill/or dying is one thing. But not being able to come to your side because you are highly contagious and would jeapardize their health and life is kind of selfish.

[Lemonslice 4,840]

My family lives on three continents and, since an early age, this is something I have thought a lot about.    It is impossible for me not to miss some moments, good and bad, with them.  

 

My philosophy has been to try to be with them as much as possible while they are alive and well.  I might not be able to make it to funerals and sick days, as those are unplanned; but I will do everything to visit as often as I can and to be there to a graduation, a birthday, or an anniversary.

 

Best of luck to everyone. 

[Lil bear 4,201]

Just now, Lemonslice said:

My family lives on three continents and, since an early age, this is something I have thought a lot about.    It is impossible for me not to miss some moments, good and bad, with them.  

 

My philosophy has been to try to be with them as much as possible while they are alive and well.  I might not be able to make it to funerals and sick days, as those are unplanned; but I will do everything to visit as often as I can and to be there to a graduation, a birthday, or an anniversary.

 

Best of luck to everyone. 

Same here..  we live with the knowledge that each visit may be the last. With flights departing to Australia only during a narrow window of time each day .. it’s more likely I won’t be able to get there in time .. it is one of the sacrifices we face  .. and ask our extended family to also accept. Make each time together count 

[SalishSea 17,828]

This scenario is an overall consequence of choosing to live in a different country from your family, without regard to the novel coronavirus.

[LoveJonLovell 306]

It's not the same... but we're lucky to live in a time where video chat is easily available. You're never really 'alone'. 

[Suze1 366]

@cacolac323

What do you recommend, precisely?

Edited March 15, 2020 by Suze1

[Mike E 11,739]

As an immigrant myself to the USA, this was the risk I took when I came to the USA.  I had a choice: stay in my country of birth.