Why travel bans didn't stop the coronavirus

When the World Health Organization (WHO) declared on January 30 the novel coronavirus outbreak "a public health emergency of international concern" (PHEIC), most of the world thought the virus was China's problem.

There were less than 100 cases outside China at the time, and 62 countries had already imposed travel restrictions on Chinese citizens. As the situation evolved, restrictions on cross-border movement did not stop there.

By April, at least 93 percent of the world's population were affected by coronavirus-related travel restrictions, with three billion people living under lockdowns that completely bar foreigners, according to the Pew Research Center. It is safe to say that any damage due to disruptions to international travel has been done.

But what's worse is that border closures didn't do much to prevent a global pandemic, which has killed over 300,000 people and sickened more than four million around the world.

Global health experts have overwhelmingly opposed travel and trade restrictions from the start. In its official recommendation, the WHO says denying entry to travelers coming from affected areas are usually not effective in preventing the importation of cases but may have a significant economic and social impact.

However, most countries flouted the UN health agency's guidance. What transpired in countries hardest hit by COVID-19, despite having implemented strict travel bans in the early days, might be a testament to how well such as prohibition has worked.

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