ABSTRACT
Among the more controversial of steps taken to slow the global spread of infection during the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic was the decision by many countries to severely restrict mobility across international and sub-national borders, as well as around sites of extreme vulnerability and, following vaccine requirements, around individuals. In this collection of essays, multidisciplinary scholars explore the full spectrum of issues associated with COVID border management, including its historical precedents, legal justifications and challenges, ethical dimensions, regional variations, impacts on specific populations and demographics, the role of vaccination and vaccination mandates, the extent to which imperfect public health communication exacerbated tensions around the topic, and the nature of evidence needed to best inform policymakers. In toto, the authors seek to better inform future pandemic response policies by providing a transdisciplinary framework based upon both avoiding harm and upholding rights and principles.
