World Coronavirus Dispatch: Safe havens beat virus, but struggle to reopen

Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble in doubt as cases rise, US lifts mask rule for vaccinated in most places, and other pandemic-related news across the globe

‘Covid zero’ countries find reopening harder than taming virus

Some countries tamed the coronavirus at breathtaking speed as they swung into action, unlike others, by imposing harsh restrictions, sealing borders and closing international travel. It paid off. Nations like New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong have had fewer deaths from a pandemic that has claimed almost 3.3 million lives worldwide. But, how for long can these countries persist with this strategy of aggressive lockdowns in order to report fewer cases remains a question, for it involves heavy costs. With rapid vaccinations, many countries are now reopening and tolerating some infections as they realise that virus is not going anywhere. Continued isolation is the price safe havens will have to pay to maintain this approach in the longer term, as other parts of the world learn to tolerate some infections as long as medical systems aren’t overwhelmed. Read here

Let's look at the global statistics

Global infections: 161,188,177

Global deaths: 3,344,737

Nations with most cases: US (32,852,998), India (24,046,809), Brazil (15,433,989), France (5,902,343), Turkey (5,083,996).

Source: John Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center (https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html)

Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble in doubt

A long-awaited quarantine-free travel corridor between Hong Kong and Singapore due to kick off later this month after several false starts may not go ahead due to a recurrence of coronavirus cases in Singapore. Both territories have taken strict, zero tolerance approaches to the virus, imposing curbs aimed at stamping out infections when outbreaks swell to levels that in other parts of the world would seem low. While an infection surge in Hong Kong failed the earlier travel corridor plans, this time it is Singapore that is seeing a recurrence in Covid cases, with restrictions that will return the city state to the lockdown-like conditions it last imposed a year ago. Read here

A milestone in pandemic fight: US lifts mask mandate for vaccinated in most places

In the clearest sign yet that the pandemic might be nearing an end in the United States, the CDC has said that Americans who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus can stop wearing masks or maintaining social distance in most places. The advice came as welcome news to many Americans who were weary of restrictions and traumatized by the past year. It was also a surprise to many businesses and officials about how the guidelines would be carried out. Permission to stop using masks also offers an incentive to the many millions who are still holding out on vaccination. Read here

New Zealand mulls reopening options after a year of closed borders

As vaccination continues around the world, the New Zealand government has begun providing glimpses of how the country will eventually reopen its borders. But there’s no immediate end in sight, even for expats who have received vaccinations overseas. New Zealand has been closed to most international visitors for more than a year now. Anyone entering the country – except via recently-opened travel bubbles with Australia and the Cook Islands – is required to spend two weeks in government-run isolation. Read here