In response to deepening concerns over public health and safety, five Republican senators have urged President Biden to implement a travel ban on China, citing a worrying surge in an unidentified respiratory illness within the nation.

The letter, crafted by Senators Marco Rubio (Florida), J.D. Vance (Ohio), Rick Scott (Florida), Tommy Tuberville (Alabama), and Mike Braun (Indiana), emphasizes the urgency of restricting travel between the U.S. and China until there’s a clearer understanding of the illness’s risks.

The senators highlighted the significant rise in mysterious childhood pneumonia cases and other respiratory ailments in China, drawing attention to the country’s “long history of lying about public health crises.”

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, the CCP’s obfuscation of the truth, and lack of transparency, robbed the United States of vital knowledge about the disease and its origin,” emphasizing their call for immediate action to safeguard American health and economic interests.

“That means we should immediately restrict travel between the United States and [China] until we know more about the dangers posed by this new illness. A ban on travel now could save our country from death, lockdowns, mandates, and further outbreaks later,” the letter stated reenforcing their staunch position on preemptive measures to avert potential health crises.

The senators pointed to former President Trump’s early travel ban on China, implemented on January 31, 2020, as a successful precedent, challenging criticisms of the decision as xenophobic.

They argued, “Many officials and commentators—including you—criticized his decision as being influenced by ‘xenophobia.’ But history and common sense show his decision was the right one,” they said.

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According to the lawmakers, China has reported an increase in a mysterious illness, which it claims is pneumonia caused by known pathogens, predominantly affecting children and overwhelming hospitals in northern regions since mid-October.

The World Health Organization (WHO) has expressed uncertainty regarding whether the disease is a consequence of a general increase in respiratory infections or distinct events.

“If history is any indication, we have cause to be concerned,” the senators cautioned.

Fox News Digital reached out to the White House for comments on the matter but had not received a response at the time of reporting.

Is it just a coincidence that there is a sudden panic over a contagious mystery illness out of China, sparking discussions of travel bans in less than a year before the 2024 presidential election? What’s next… masks, shutdowns and mail only voting? Time will tell.

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