The borders are closing one after the other in an attempt to stem the coronavirus epidemic. After the bans on assemblies and containment measures, several states have already announced the strengthening of customs controls, or even the total closure of their borders to foreigners. A striking measure but which nevertheless struggles to convince within the scientific community. Which countries have already closed their borders? Is this decision of medical interest? The Parisian takes stock of the situation.
Which country have closed their borders in Europe?
The list of countries closing their borders is growing day by day. Several countries have announced the complete closure to foreign travelers such as Poland, Lithuania, Denmark, Slovakia, Cyprus and the Czech Republic.
Others have strengthened their customs controls, such as Germany, which implemented border controls on Monday morning with five countries announced (France, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Luxembourg). Similarly, Slovenia has established border health controls.
Some border countries of highly affected states have also taken action. This is the case of Austria and Hungary which have restricted their entries for Italy. Finally, Portugal closed its borders with Spain.
Italy, almost cut off from the world, has not put in place any official restrictions preventing it from crossing its border. Travel throughout the country is, however, extremely limited. Same observation in Spain where, if there is no question of closing the borders, the territory is in an emergency situation (limited public transport, closed shops, requisitioned factories).
And outside of Europe?
Border closures spread to all continents. In the United States, President Donald Trump announced on March 11 that Europeans will be barred from entering the United States for the next 30 days. A sudden decision, when the head of state had been accused so far of minimizing the pandemic.
Outside Europe, Russia has closed its land borders with Norway and Poland. In Latin America, Argentina, Colombia and Guatemala have also announced the partial closure of their borders.
On the African continent, Ghana will prohibit from Tuesday entry into its territory to anyone who has gone to a contaminated country. Finally, South Africa is now refusing "all foreign nationals who have visited high-risk countries," said South African President Cyril Ramaphosa.
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What about in France?
France has already announced that it will tighten controls at its border with Germany and "limit border crossings to the bare minimum," said the interior minister. The Elysée was however cautious on the issue of a total closure of its borders. During his address on March 12 from the Élysée Palace, Emmanuel Macron called for avoiding "nationalist withdrawal".
"We will no doubt have control measures, border closings to take, but we will have to take them when they are relevant and we will have to take them on a European scale, because it is on this scale that we have built our freedoms and protections, "he said.
Favoring the pro-European approach therefore, the Elysée Palace announced on Monday that measures will be "finalized and announced in the coming hours" on the external borders of the European Union to combat the coronavirus.
Close borders, an effective measure?
Guest of Europe 1 Friday, the Minister of Health Olivier Véran had assured that the closing of the borders was an answer which "scientifically had no interest". An opinion shared by Jeanne Brugère-Picoux, member of the National Academy of Medicine, contacted by Le Parisien. “Closing borders is an effective barrier measure when the threat is still far away. Today, it is too late since the virus is on either side of the border. ”
Isolating the country will allow "to further limit the movement of populations", but it should have "been decided well in advance," said the specialist in infectious diseases.
What political issue?
If the decision of a possible border control remains a public health issue, it is also part of a political debate. "Closing borders is not medical reasoning but political," says Henri Julien on the phone, president of the French Society of Disaster Medicine (SFMC).
"It is a symbolic decision to try to show that the state reacts, and to possibly calm the anxieties of the population," insists the doctor.
In France, the president of the National Rally Marine Le Pen asked the president on Sunday to "close the borders with the countries most affected". "A measure that makes no sense, medically," insists Henri Julien.