While travel restrictions are generally not seen by the World Health Organisation as the most effective way of countering a pandemic, the rapid spread of COVID-19 makes it essential that the EU and Member States take urgent, immediate and concerted action not only to protect the public health of our populations, but also to prevent the virus from further spreading from the EU to other countries, as has been observed in recent weeks.
Filwaqt li r-restrizzjonijiet fuq l-ivvjaġġar ġeneralment ma jitqisux mill-Organizzazzjoni Dinjija tas-Saħħa bħala l-aktar mod effettiv biex tiġi miġġielda pandemija, it-tifrix rapidu tas-COVID-19 jagħmilha essenzjali li l-UE u l-Istati Membri jieħdu azzjoni urġenti, immedjata u miftiehma mhux biss biex jipproteġu s-saħħa pubblika tal-popolazzjonijiet tagħna, iżda wkoll biex jipprevjenu li l-virus ikompli jinfirex mill-UE lejn pajjiżi oħra, kif ġie osservat f'dawn l-aħħar ġimgħat.