Border controls and closures have historically been used to combat epidemics. These are measures that can be implemented on simple authority of States but whose efficacy remains to be widely validated scientifically. In 2020, numerous countries reacted in this way to combat the COVID-19 epidemic, even before implementing domestic policies against the disease. In these countries the speed of this response is linked to past policies which relied on tightening border controls to reinforce the feeling of security and belonging. However, this trend is antithetical to the implementation of an effective public health policy.
