Travel during the COVID-19 pandemic
During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries and regions imposed quarantines, entry bans, or other travel restrictions for citizens of or recent travelers to the most affected areas.[1] Some countries and regions imposed global restrictions that apply to all foreign countries and territories, or prevent their own citizens from travelling overseas.[2]
This article is about international travel restrictions. For domestic travel restrictions and lockdowns, see National responses to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Travel restrictions reduced the spread of the virus, but because they were first implemented after community spread was established in multiple countries in different regions of the world, they produced only a modest reduction in the total number of people infected. Travel restrictions may be most important at the start and end of the pandemic.[3]
The travel restrictions brought a significant economic cost to the global tourism industry through lost income and social harm to people who were unable to travel internationally. When the travel bans are lifted, many people are expected to resume traveling. However, some travel, especially business travel, may be decreased long-term as lower cost alternatives, such as teleconferencing and virtual events, are preferred.[4] Some countries with large domestic markets, such as the United States, were able to see a faster recovery from increased domestic travel.[5]
Effectiveness[edit]
A study in Science found that travel restrictions could delay the initial arrival of COVID-19 in a country, but that they produced only modest overall effects unless combined with infection prevention and control measures to considerably reduce transmissions (this is consistent with prior research on influenza and other communicable diseases).[6]
[7][8] Travel bans may be most effective for isolated locations, such as small island nations.[8]
Researchers came to the conclusion that "travel restrictions are most useful in the early and late phase of an epidemic" and "restrictions of travel from Wuhan unfortunately came too late".[9]