STI COLLEGE SAN PABLO CAMPUS

BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TOURISM MANAGEMENT

A.Y 2019-2020

In Partial Fullfiment

Of the requirements in

“Purposive Communication”

Submitted from:

Wong, Geneene

Submitted to:

Ms. Camille Matira

March 17, 2020

 Why travel bans are important in avoiding the spread of

Coronavirus?

In the absence of a vaccine or treatment, “social distancing,” or limiting

non-essential gatherings by avoiding travelling, is one way to slow the

spread. Travel and travel planning are being disrupted by the worldwide spread

of the coronavirus. The tourism and hospitality industry has been massively

affected by the spread of coronavirus, as many countries have introduced travel

restrictions in an attempt to contain its spread. President Rodrigo Duterte made

the announcement on Thursday night, following an urgent meeting with the inter-

agency task force on COVID-19 response. Duterte said land, domestic air, and

domestic sea travel to and from Metro Manila will be prohibited during the period.

The transportation department will issue guidelines on “social distancing,” by

temporarily avoiding travelling, a crucial strategy to help prevent COVID-19 from

spreading further. The government is optimistic Philippine tourism will remain

resilient amid China's travel ban on outbound tour groups to prevent the spread

of 2019-novel coronavirus, a move seen to hit the industry across Asia who

reaps the benefits of Chinese foreign travel.

It seems like a fair number of people are trying to make such decisions

right now. Social media certainly has had its share of “should I stay or should I

go” clashes of opinions and discussions. The travel restrictions imposed in light

of the new coronavirus outbreak have only modestly delayed the spread of the
virus. There are some countries and areas where there's a higher chance of

coming into contact with someone with coronavirus.

It is much important to stay at home and postpone travelling to avoid being

affected by COVID-19. Travel restrictions are paired with public-health

interventions and behavioral changes that reduce the risk of transmitting the virus

.This is done via the standard ways to lower the risk of virus spread. In addition,

urging people to self-isolate after potential exposure staying home and avoiding

contact with others for 14 days will help prevent the disease from spreading.

The first fact is that, at least in the initial stages, documented cases of

COVID-19 seem to increase in exponential fashion. On the 23rd of January,

China’s Hubei province, which contains the city of Wuhan, had 444 confirmed

COVID-19 cases. A week later, by the 30th of January, it had 4,903 cases.

Another week later, by the 6th of February, it had 22,112. The same story is now

playing out in the Philippines, As of March 14, 2020, there have been 64

confirmed cases of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in the Philippines.

Out of the 64 cases, eight deaths were recorded. The first case was confirmed

on January 30, that of a 38-year-old Chinese woman who was confined in

the San Lazaro Hospital in Manila.

It all happened because of travelling from one country to another. The risk

of exposure to respiratory viruses like COVID-19 may increase in crowded

settings. Everyone must stay at home and avoid travelling at the meantime to

avoid getting infected with the disease.

 Passengers include travellers from around the world who may be arriving

from areas with known or unknown spread of COVID-19. The virus can spread

quickly on board cruises due to the close contact between passengers. Older

people and people with a weakened immune system or underlying medical

condition are at a higher risk of developing severe disease.

At this point, many people are probably aware of some of the precautions

by simply staying at home to help reduce the risk of getting sick. A temporary ban

was imposed to make the people stop from travelling in order to avoid spreading

or transmitting the virus. The global outbreak of the coronavirus is adversely

affecting the Philippine transportation industry, leading to cancellations of

hundreds of flights, drops in ship calls, and reduction in cargo volumes and

passenger traffic for both sea and air. To prevent the entry of the coronavirus, the

Philippine government has imposed a travel ban first on China, Hong Kong, and

Macau.

Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), which operates the various

terminals at Ninoy Aquino International Airport, reported that flights to China have

declined by 37 for arrival and 63 for departure. In terms of passengers, arrivals

have dropped by 8.3% or 266,000 passengers, while departures have gone

down by 8.9% or 370,000 passengers. Philippine Airlines (PAL) said it has so far

cancelled more than 700 flights, affecting 150,000 to 160,000 passengers. Cebu

Pacific has temporarily cancelled 16 routes affecting 145,000 passengers. The

airline approved the travel ban on flights at MCIA to help airlines mitigate effects

of the COVID-19 outbreak.

  It is extra important to take actions to reduce the risk of getting sick with

the disease. Travel ban will prohibit people from getting infected. Public health

experts have started asking people to practice social distancing , more isolation

from each other, more holing up in the place for days, much less physical contact

with the world. The fact is that travel ban implies social distancing to protect

everyone from getting infected. It is all about protecting the people in the

community, especially the vulnerable ones. In fact, taking precautions like social

distancing are likely one of the most important things an individual can do to

protect sick and older people in the community, and to shield the society from the

kind of catastrophic effects the virus has had in countries by simply postponing or

avoiding travelling.

Travel ban is one step that every country must take to control the

outbreak. Taking strong social distancing measures before being mandated in

the community, staying at home and deciding not to travel, canceling or not

attending large events to reduce disease-transmitting activities. Travel ban

reduces the risk of infection.

Reference

Kornfield,M. & Iati, M. (2020,March 10) retrieved from

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2020/03/06/coronavirus

Bondoc, J. (2020,February 8) retrieved from

https://business.inquirer.net/289984/coronavirus-and-philippine-tourism

Magtulis, P. (2020,March 4) retrieved from

https://www.philstar.com/business/2020/03/04/1997877/tourism-slowly-feels-

impact-coronavirus

Almonte, L. (2020,February 24) retrieved from

https://www.portcalls.com/ph-transpor -industries-reel-from-coronavirus-impact/