The problem is that many of the measures taken in the name of "containment" (travel restrictions for example) are likely ineffective and are explicitly disrecom

The problem is that many of the measures taken in the name of "containment" (travel restrictions for example) are likely ineffective and are explicitly disrecommended by public health experts. They are just easy measures to implement quickly, and are effective politically because they play to the population's pre-existing tendencies toward xenophobia.