Strengthening risk governance during global public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs): A study to identify and leverage lessons from the management of travel-related risks during the COVID-19 pandemic to improve cross-jurisdictional capacities for pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPPRR)

This study aims to strengthen pandemic preparedness and response capacities by examining how travel-related risks were approached during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to what effect. This research will analyze how travel-related risks have been measured and addressed across global, national and sub-national settings during the pandemic. Travel has been deeply implicated in the spread and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite initial recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) against restricting international traffic, many countries adopted travel measures in attempt to slow or prevent the international spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. The resulting chaotic and inequitable disruptions to global mobility represented a significant departure from the International Health Regulations (IHR 2005) - an international legally binding treaty with the core purpose of coordinating international responses to global public health emergencies. These prolonged, uncoordinated approaches to travel-related risks resulted in negative public health, social and economic consequences. At the same time, new evidence shows that travel measures implemented under certain conditions can advance public health goals. The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed serious gaps in the risk governance mechanisms required for effective collective action in response to public health emergencies of international concern (PHEICs). This research recognizes an urgent and critical opportunity to study gaps in travel-related risk governance during the pandemic to build better prepared public health systems at sub-national, national and global levels. Recognizing the simultaneously unique and universal impacts of travel-related risks and corresponding travel measures in response to COVID-19, this research will identify strengths and weaknesses to improve risk governance and strengthen pandemic prevention, preparedness, response and recovery (PPPRR) capacities in Canada and globally.