During the current COVID-19 pandemic, with its large impact on international travel, countries are looking for risk- and evidence-based guidance for resuming international travel in a safe manner, with the understanding that there is no “zero risk”. In this context, the WHO Guideline Development Group for International Travel and Health (WHO ITH GDG) is tasked with synthesizing the available evidence from systematic reviews of the scientific literature and other high-quality materials on the effectiveness, safety, and potential harms of various public health measures for limiting the spread of COVID-19, in the context of international travel, taking into consideration key health equity and human rights factors, to inform evidence based guidance development.  

All external contributors to the guidelines, including members of the Guideline Development Group and the External Review Group, completed a WHO declaration of interests form in accordance with WHO policy for experts. The declaration of interest forms and the results of the web-based search for each member of the Guideline Development Group were reviewed by the WHO Guideline Steering Group and a management plan was agreed and recorded for each individual and presented at the ITH GDG meeting.

The WHO ITH GDG is a group of experts selected in their personal capacity, following rules and protocols established for WHO guideline development, which ensures their neutrality, independence, and impartiality. The scope of the WHO ITH GDG encompasses all aspects of public health measures with regards to international travel. 

Download the biographies of the Chair and all the Members

M. Hassan Murad, Mayo Clinic, United States of America; Steven-Jorg Hohlfeld, South African Medical Research Council, South Africa; Eleanor Ochodo, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Kenya/Stellenbosch University, South Africa.

Ani Movisyan, Jacob Burns, Eva Rehfuess, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich, Germany; Ahmed Abou-Setta, Unity Health Toronto, Canada; Mark E Engel, University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Lin H. Chen, President, International Society of Travel Medicine, United States of America; Albie de Frey, Travel Doctor Corporate/University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa; David Freedman, Professor Emeritus of Infectious Diseases, University of Alabama, Birmingham, United States of America; Dirk Glaesser, United Nations World Tourism Organization; Ansa Jordaan, International Civil Aviation Organization; ; Pedro Legua, Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia, Peru; Sarah McGuinness, Monash University, Australia; Varvara A. Mouchtouri, University of Thessaly, Greece; Manila Nosa, Public Health Services, New Zealand; David Powell, International Air Transport Association, New Zealand; Michael Rossell, Airports Council International World, Canada; Robert Steffen, International Society of Travel Medicine Foundation, Switzerland; Claudio Zilio, University of Padova, Italy

Legiston Roy Ferron, Hospital sales specialist representative, retired, Barbados; Jennifer Guerrieri, Transportation Policy Analyst, Nishnawbe Aski Nation; Louis Yew Ming Lau, Construction company, Hong Kong, China; Lindsay Lee, Data analyst, wheelchair user, frequent traveller, USA; Shanzeh Najam, Communication design student, Pakistan; Kashi Syal, English literature student, UK/Canada; Kharlos Tangune, Taxi business, Mozambique; Melody Wren, Travel writer, freelance journalist, Canada; Dr Rochelle Lee, Accident and Emergency Physician. Travel Medicine Practitioner – SASTM, South Africa

Contact:

[email protected]