On March 11, 2020, the FSM Congress passed Resolution No. 21-129, removing the travel restrictions imposed on January 31, 2020 by FSM President Panuelo on visitors and citizens coming from countries and territories with reported cases of the global pandemic known as coronavirus (Covid-19). This decision by the FSM Congress to restrict travels ONLY to and from the Hubei Province in China is misinformed in light of ongoing reports of confirmed cases of coronavirus infected countries including cases in the United States as reported by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the US Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). The global map shows confirmed cases of coronavirus from the WHO and CDC as of March 11, 2020.
The United States and other developed countries with far superior healthcare systems and available coronavirus test and treatment than the FSM have imposed travel bans. Universities have also banned domestic and international travels of their students and personnel to prevent the coronavirus infections.
The coronavirus is dynamic and ever changing based on available scientific and medical knowledge. We feel that this resolution by the FSM Congress poses a national security to the citizens of the FSM.
We believe that President Panueloʻs Public Health Emergency Declaration on January 31, 2020 restricting travelers from ALL countries and territories with confirmed cases of the coronavirus was a good policy. Our country is simply not ready to deal with the coronavirus, but we can impose preventative measures such as travel bans.
Please Sign Our Petition to reinstate the travel ban to protect human lives in the FSM.
