The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in vast deprivations of liberty previously unthinkable: lockdowns, business closures, travel restrictions, and quarantines. Even witnessing China’s January 2020 lockdown of 11 million people in Wuhan, it seemed wholly implausible that London, Rome, or New York would shut down. But they did, and much more. At the initial height of the pandemic in April 2020, more than 3.9 billion people, about half the world's population, were under stay-at-home orders. That same month, 43 US states were under stay-at-home orders. What are the scientific, public health, and ethical justifications for various forms of liberty deprivations? Are they lawful? Which branch, or level, of government holds the power to deprive individuals of freedom and the right to travel? What principles and policy mechanism can we establish to do a better job of protecting both liberty and public health during future emergencies?
Lockdowns, Quarantines, And Travel Restrictions, During COVID And Beyond: What’s The Law, And How Should We Decide?