In the mid 1980's we had the big swine flu scare in Toronto, Emergency and contigency protocols were established. Immunization was strongly urged, but not ordered mandatory, for health care workers. We had the big media blitz on radio, television and print. The end result, more health care workers were incapacitated by the vacinne than the virus.
Truth is that in this crowded world, disease travels faster than any policy or program. Governments don't have the oomph to lay down quarantines like they once did. Any body remember the red cards that were posted to your door if you had mumps or measles. Immigrants used to be quarantined on arrival. Closing the border to specific nationals. These are measures which are designed to slow the spread of an outbreak until suitable countermeasures can be put in place.