Read all about it! The U.S. death toll from Covid passes 608,000, but the vaccination rate has slowed and remains below 49%. United Airlines does not expect business travel to return until 2023. Malta will bar unvaccinated travelers. France, the Netherlands and Los Angeles impose new virus restrictions. Ireland won't require quarantine for American visitors beginning July 19 and Aer Lingus celebrates with a $100 flight discount. London will maintain its mask mandate on public transportation. Who knew? "Gangnam Style" may spread Covid. And more. Read up from the bottom for context.

Coronavirus Update: Friday, July 16, 2021

The seven-day average of new Coronavirus cases is up nearly 70% from last week, according to CDC director Dr. Rachel Walensky. "This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated," she says. Here are today's other developments:
        Thursday surge   The TSA says that 2,152,053 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints Thursday. That's a higher number of people than who flew on Thursday, July 1, the start of the Fourth of July weekend. It also represents 79.2% of 2019 volume.
        Ugly   There were 28,412 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Thursday, says Johns Hopkins. The death toll was 283. Meanwhile, CNN says all 50 states had more cases this week than last.
        Ireland reopens   Ireland will reopen to fully vaccinated American visitors on Monday (July 19) and no testing or quarantine will be required. (New rules are here.) To celebrate, Aer Lingus is offering a $100 discount on tickets booked by July 21 for travel between August 1 and September 7. Aer Lingus is currently flying from Boston, Chicago and New York/JFK. Washington/Dulles service resumes August 14. Discount details are here.
        Dig out those masks   Los Angeles County is reimposing a mask mandate for indoor public spaces. The renewed restriction begins Sunday and affects 10 million residents. The Los Angeles Times has the details.
        Unequal skies   The return of Europe travel isn't being distributed equally. Turkish Airlines flew 85% of its 2019 schedule for the week ended July 14. British Airways, on the other hand, flew just 27% of its schedule. In between was Air France (67%), KLM (71%), Lufthansa (49%) and SAS Scandinavian (50%). The statistics were compiled by Eurocontrol, which operates the continent's air traffic control system.
        Hotel high   Average daily rate at U.S. hotels hit a record high for the week ended July 10. The so-called ADR was $139.84, 5.4% higher than any previous week on record. But the average occupancy rate remained down about 9% compared to a similar week in 2019. The statistics were compiled by lodging analyst STR.

Coronavirus Update: Thursday, July 15, 2021

Battling its most serious wave of infections, South Korea banned gyms from playing up-tempo music with more than 120 beats per minute. The theory: Some music forces people to breathe too hard during group workouts and that could cause faster spread of the virus. Among the notable songs now banned: Gangnam Style. Psy's global hit from 2012. Agence France-Presse has the details. Here are today's other developments:
        Wednesday plateau   The TSA says 1,900,945 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints Wednesday. It represents 75.3% of 2019 volume. Those numbers are almost exactly the same as the past two Wednesdays.
        Attention must be paid   There were 31,845 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Wednesday, says Johns Hopkins. (The death toll was 331.) These numbers are up sharply from earlier this summer when the 7-day average had dropped to around 11,000.
        Melbourne Misery   Melbourne, Australia's second-largest city, goes into a "hard and fast" lockdown tonight (local time). It's the fifth lockdown since the beginning of the pandemic. Sydney, Perth and other Australian cities are already locked down.
        Rwanda   avoided the worst of the first waves of Coronavirus, but the East African nation is going into lockdown. Hospitals have been overwhelmed as the country battles the Delta and other variants. There's also a critical shortage of beds and medicines. The lockdown starts Saturday.
        Caribbean comeback   KLM says its summer schedule to the Caribbean and South America from its Amsterdam hub includes 17 destinations. That means KLM has now restored its schedule to 2019 strength.

Coronavirus Update: Wednesday, July 14, 2021

Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said Monday she wants to ease Coronavirus restrictions that bar much of the world from traveling to the United States. However, reluctant health officials are worried about more outbreaks, she admitted. Here are today's other developments:
        Tuesday slowdown   The TSA says 1,832,878 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints Tuesday. It represents 74.9% of 2019 volume and is slightly less than last Tuesday's performance.
        Another wave   There were 25,919 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Tuesday, says Johns Hopkins. (The death toll was 372.) This new wave is fueled primarily the Delta variant and unvaccinated people, say local doctors in affected areas and health officials.
        Merry Marriott   Marriott chief executive Tony Capuano told CNBC that the huge hotel chain "had a smashing 4th of July." Average daily room rates were up 20% over 2019. Prices at luxury hotels rose nearly 35%, he said.
        England swings   Visitors from the United States remain in England's "amber" zone, but the requirement for quarantine on arrival ends July 19--if you've been vaccinated by the NHS. (See the new guidance here.) However, London will retain its mask mandate for public transportation. Mayor Sadiq Khan made the announcement Wednesday, explaining masks will be required on buses, trams and the Underground.
        Another island in the stream   Thailand's Koh Samui Island will reopen to international, fully vaccinated travelers beginning tomorrow (local time). Koh Phangan and Koh Too will also reopen on the same day. International visitors will be required to fly via Bangkok and transit on designated flights operated by Bangkok Airways. Phuket Island opened earlier this month.
        So sue me   Norwegian Cruise Lines--parent company of the Norwegian, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania cruise lines--is suing Florida over the state law prohibiting private firms from requiring proof of vaccination. The company claims the ban violates federal law and said the lawsuit is a "last resort" to make sure it can resume cruising from Florida waters. The Florida state law banning vaccine passports went into effect July 1 and is outlined in an executive order by Governor Ron DeSantis.
        Down Dublin   Dublin Airport is hosting just 31% of its 2019 flight volume, says Eurocontrol, which runs the continent's air traffic control. Madrid's Barajas Airport is now operating at 59% of 2019 levels, according to Eurocontrol.

Coronavirus Update: Tuesday, July 13, 2021

The FDA has slapped a warning on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine and says there have been several incidents of the one-shot jab causing Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Politico.com has the details. Here are today's other developments:
        So many leisure travelers   The TSA says that 2,093,066 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints on Monday. That's lower than the number of people who traveled last Monday, but it also represents 80% of 2019 volume, more than last Monday.
        Are you paying attention to this?   There were 32,765 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Monday, says Johns Hopkins. (The death toll was 236.) That's more than double the CDC's current 7-day moving average of 14,885 daily new cases. That number itself was 16% higher than the previous 7-day average of 12,832.
        French restrictions   The French government says health care workers must be vaccinated by September 15 or they will not be permitted to work. Meanwhile, the French health pass will have to be shown before entering large-scale events, clubs, long-distance trains and restaurants. The restriction is effective in August.
        Who's sorry now?   Dutch Premier Mark Rutte regrets loosening Coronavirus restrictions. "What we thought would be possible turned out not to be in practice," he said Monday. "We had poor judgment, which we regret and for which we apologize." Rutte last week reimposed nationwide curbs on bars, restaurants and nightclubs in the Netherlands and cancelled all events involving large crowds until at least August 14.
        The Tennessee Waltz   With Coronavirus cases rising, Tennessee fired its top vaccine official. Her crime? Approving vaccinations for teens without parental approval, something that offended a few state legislators. The Tennessean has the details.
        Sil-chaek   The Korean Baseball Organization suspended its season Monday after a cluster of Coronavirus infections among the players. The league played its entire season last year. The New York Times has the details.
        Stuttgart shots   Starting tomorrow (local time), departing passengers at Stuttgart Airport can get a free Covid shot at the facility's impfzentrum landesmesse (vaccine center). Appointments are not required.

Coronavirus Update: Monday, July 12, 2021

Pfizer wants approval for a booster shot for its two-dose vaccine. U.S. medical agencies disagree for now. The New York Times has some of the details. Here are today's other developments:
        Smashing weekend   More than 6 million travelers passed through TSA airport checkpoints over the weekend (Friday-Sunday). On Sunday alone, 2,198,635 people traveled. That's the highest one-day total since the beginning of the pandemic and represents 82.4% of 2019 volume on a similar day.
        Yeah, but ...   There were 6,164 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Sunday, says Johns Hopkins. The death toll was 24. A reminder: Weekend statistics are always fragmentary and incomplete--and that is especially true now that many states have slowed their reporting.
        No kidding   United Airlines chief executive Scott Kirby says that business travel won't return in force until 2023. Fox Business has the details. CBS News, which conducted the interview, publishes the entire transcript.
        Gradual recovery   There were 24,388 flights in Europe's skies on Friday, a pandemic era high, according to Eurocontrol, which operates the continent's air traffic control. For the week ended July 11, Eurocontrol says aircraft traffic was 62.7% of 2019 levels.
        The Phuket bubble   While the rest of Thailand is frantically locking down, the resort island of Phuket has reopened to tourists. How's it going? The Associated Press has a report.

Coronavirus Update: Weekend, July 10-11, 2021

San Francisco International says it is the first airport to offer free Covid testing to international arriving passengers. The voluntary program, scheduled to run five weeks, offers flyers self-testing kits. Here are this weekend's other developments:
        Shocking reversal   There were 48,241 new Coronavirus cases in the United States on Friday, says Johns Hopkins. That's about three times the most recent daily averages and seems to be almost totally unvaccinated people infected with the Delta variant. The death toll was 518.
        Mississippi Delta   Mississippi was one of the first states to remove a mask mandate; Governor Tate Reeves trumpeted the change as a victory. Mississippi is also near the bottom for vaccinations; Only about a third of the state is fully covered. The inevitable result? The state is now recommending seniors avoid crowds and all unvaccinated citizens wear masks. The New York Times has the details.
        America's new ground zero   Missouri and Arkansas have the highest new-infection rates in the country and comprise the nation's new Ground Zero. TheHill.com has the details.
        Island in the stream   Malta says it will become the first state in Europe to close its border to unvaccinated travelers. The rule goes into effect on Wednesday (local time).
        Norway about-face   Norway has taken the United States off its "purple list." That'll make it more difficult for Americans to travel there. The Local Norway Web site has the details.
        A Continental divide   Americans are almost evenly divided over whether schools or private employers should require Covid-19 vaccinations as part of reopening, according to a Politico-Harvard survey. Politico naturally has the details.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for July 3-July 9

Read all about it! More than 48% of the nation has been fully vaccinated, but the U.S. death toll from Coronavirus passes 606,000 and new infections of the Delta variant are surging. England plans to lift its last Coronavirus restrictions on July 19, but there are critics. Ryanair and EasyJet will continue to impose their mask mandates. Traffic at Copenhagen, Paris and Athens airports remains well below 2019 levels. Canada cracks the travel door open, but Australia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Spain, Thailand and South Korea reimpose some restrictions. Tokyo bars spectators from Olympic events. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for June 26-July 2

Read all about it! Nearly 48% of the nation is fully vaccinated, but the U.S. death toll from Coronavirus has passed 605,000. After passing the 2-million traveler mark ten times in June, the Fourth of July also starts with a bang. Average U.S. hotel occupancy rates are the highest since October, 2019. Thailand, South Africa, Bangladesh and Indonesia add new Coronavirus restrictions. Australia now says only 3,000 travelers a week may enter the country. International traffic on Asia/Pacific carriers is just 4.3% of 2019 levels. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for June 19-June 25

Read all about it! Hawaii lifts testing requirement for vaccinated visitors. More than 46% of the nation has been fully vaccinated, but the total U.S. death toll from Coronavirus has now passed 603,000. The TSA says more than 2.1 million people flew on Sunday, highest total since March, 2020. Coronavirus deaths in Brazil pass 500,000. Qantas grows domestic schedule since most Australia international traffic remains forbidden. Europe reaches 50% of 2019 flight levels. Airline seat capacity worldwide remains 43% below 2019 levels. The Netherlands reopens to U.S. visitors, but not to Canadians. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for June 12-June 18

Read all about it! At least 44% 45% of the nation has been fully vaccinated, but the total U.S. death toll from Coronavirus has now passed 600,000. The TSA says more than two million people flew on three separate days in the last week, the most since March 6, 2020. Denmark, Spain, France and Switzerland drop mask mandates and France opens to visitors on Monday. Britain delays its reopening for another month. Surging infection rates force Moscow, Lisbon and the Chilean capital of Santiago to shut all or most services. Canada and the United States keep land borders closed for another month. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for June 5-June 11

Read all about it! At least 43% of the nation has been fully vaccinated, but more than 598,000 have died from the virus. The TSA says nearly two million people flew on two separate days this week, the most since early March, 2020. Two cruise ships report passengers tested positive for Coronavirus. Florida stops reporting daily virus or vaccination data. Mississippi's governor shrugs off state's horrific death toll and low vaccination rate. Europe skies are filling up again, but British passenger traffic in the first quarter fell 94% compared to 2019. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 29-June 4

Read all about it! More than 41% of the nation has been fully vaccinated, but more than 594,000 596,000 Americans have died from the virus. Malaysia locks down for two weeks and Hanoi halts international flights. Nearly two million travelers flew from U.S. airports on several days during the Memorial Day weekend. U.S. hotels still selling 300,000 fewer hotel rooms each day. Heathrow in London reopens Terminal 3 to serve visitors required to submit to mandatory quarantine. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 22-May 28

Read all about it! More than 39% 40% of the nation now has been fully vaccinated. More than 589,000 590,000 593,000 Americans have died from the virus. France reopens to vaccinated travelers next month, but requires British visitors to self-quarantine on arrival. Airline traffic once again passes the 1.8-million mark--and briefly hits 90% of comparative 2019 volume. A United Airlines sweepstakes awards a year of travel for two if you enter vaccine information. Melbourne locks down again. Cruises return to Alaska waters in July, but a Florida restart is hampered by the governor's political executive order. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 15-May 21

Read all about it! About 36% 37% 38% of the nation now has been fully vaccinated. More than 585,000 586,000 587,000 588,000 Americans have died from the virus. Daily airline traffic in the United States passes 1.8 million for the first time since the pandemic began and has been at least 60% of 2019 volume for 17 of the first 20 days in May. Seven New York State airports, including LaGuardia and Kennedy, will offer one-shot J&J vaccinations all next week. Southwest Airlines says business travel revenue remains 80% below 2019 levels. There's a red state-blue state divide over vaccinations. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 8-May 14

Read all about it! More than 30% 35% 36% of the nation has been fully vaccinated. More than 580,000 584,000 Americans have died from the virus. Daily airline traffic in the United States passes the 1.7-million mark--and 70% of 2019 volume--for the first time in more than 13 months. United Airlines, the only U.S. carrier serving India, cuts flights. England's reopening leaves U.S. visitors encased in amber. Italy isn't welcoming Americans yet. Australia won't open borders for another year. Singapore imposes new restrictions after an outbreak at Changi Airport. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for May 1-May 7

Read all about it! More than 575,000 580,000 Americans have died from the virus. More than 27% 28% 29% 30% of the nation has been fully vaccinated. Daily airline traffic in the United States passes the 1.6-million mark for the first time in more than 13 months. The U.S. halts flights from India and Singapore imposes a 21-day quarantine on most arriving travelers. Costa Rica expects 2021 tourism to be worse than 2020. The Tasman flying bubble springs a leak. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 24-April 30

Read all about it! More than 570,000 575,000 Americans have died from the virus. More than 25% 26% 27% of the nation has now been fully vaccinated. Italy begins relaxing Coronavirus restrictions. Austria and Ireland will wait until mid-May. France's reopening comes in stages through June. French Polynesia reopens to U.S. visitors, but requires full vaccination and negative PCR test. The CDC says that cruises will resume this summer. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 17-April 23

Read all about it! Worldwide Coronavirus deaths pass the three-million mark and more than 565,000 570,000 Americans have died from the virus. About 25% of the nation has now been fully vaccinated. Canada keeps its land borders closed another month. A flight from Delhi to Hong Kong becomes a superspreader event. Alaska will offer visitors vaccines starting June 1. The Maldive Islands are now open without testing or quarantine to anyone fully vaccinated. More than 8,000 passenger aircraft remain in storage. Hotel occupancy falls to mid-March levels. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 10-April 16

Read all about it! More than 560,000 565,000 Americans have died from the virus and more than 21% of the nation has been fully vaccinated. But new-case numbers are rising quickly. U.S. flying slows from the Easter rush. Several South American and Asian countries tighten Covid restrictions. Malta will pay tourists--in cash, not falcons--to visit this summer. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for April 3-April 9

Read all about it! More than 553,000 555,000 560,000 Americans have died from the virus and more than 155 160 165 170 175 million vaccine doses have been administered. New cases and deaths spike up despite increased vaccinations. April is off to a (literal) flying start and airline traffic is the busiest since mid-March of 2020. The CDC bungled messaging aimed at vaccinated travelers. Europe flying is still just 40% of normal. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 27-April 2

Read all about it! The CDC says fully vaccinated Americans can fly and travel again. More than 547,000 550,000 553,000 Americans have died from the virus. More than 135 140 145 150 154 million vaccine doses have been administered. U.S. flying roars back and was 52.5% of 2019 volume. American Airlines says bookings are 90% of 2019 levels and United says domestic leisure demand has almost returned to normal. European nations continue to lock down, however. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 20-26

Read all about it! More than 540,000 545,000 547,000 Americans have died from Coronavirus while 30 million people have been infected. More than 115 120 125 130 133 million vaccine doses have been administered. U.S. flying briefly hits nearly 70% of 2019 volume, but some travelers (and pilots) behave badly. Europe continues to lock down, but Germany reverses its draconian Easter shutdown. The U.S.-Canada land border remains closed another month. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 13-19

Read all about it! More than 532,000 535,000 540,000 Americans have died from the virus. More than 100 105 115 million doses of vaccine have been administered. Travel is roaring back in the United States as flying and hotel occupancy both hit post-pandemic highs. Starved for vaccines--and worried about the AstraZeneca version--Europe is doing less well. Italy, the first Western epicenter of the Coronavirus, locks down again. A late winter storm buries Denver International. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for March 6-12

Read all about it! More than 522,000 525,000 530,000 532,000 Americans have died from the virus. It's been a year since the outbreak was officially declared a pandemic. States continue to reopen business and dining venues, but many European countries move back to lockdown. March flying in the United States ticks up. The CDC says fully vaccinated people can mingle more freely--but shouldn't travel. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 27-March 5

Read all about it! More than 510,000 515,000 520,000 522,000 Americans have died from Coronavirus. Europe is locking down again but U.S. states rush to shed their mask mandates and other restrictions. February flying traffic roars to a close and early March looks good by comparison. Texas' weather woes led to a surge in hotel occupancy. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 20-26

Read all about it! More than 495,000 500,000 505,000 510,000 Americans have died from Coronavirus and new-case numbers are edging up again. Travel-industry numbers for 2020 were brutal and the first quarter looks even weaker. Italy marks a year after it became the Western epicenter of the disease. Boeing 777s powered by Pratt & Whitney 4000 engines grounded worldwide after Denver incident. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 13-19

Read all about it! More than 476,000 480,000 485,000 490,000 495,000 Americans have died, but the new-case number is slowly falling. There was a Valentine's Day/President's Day boomlet in flying. The government backs off plans to demand negative tests for domestic flights. Nasty winter storms snarl flying nationwide and basically ground Texas. Travel industry financial numbers remain startlingly bad. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for February 5-12

Read all about it! More than 452,000 455,000 460,000 465,000 465,000 475,000 Americans have died. The TSA sets fines for violating federal transportation mask mandates, but the states are again fighting over masking rules. Travel is in its February funk as the economic recovery stalls. There's little hope for an immediate rebound, either. Global hotel occupancy rates are atrocious. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for Jan. 30-Feb. 4

Read all about it! More than 435,000 440,000 445,000 450,000 452,000 Americans have died as we pass 26 million cases. California, South Carolina and Arizona are the riskiest states for Coronavirus transmission. Canada cracks down on snowbird flights and slaps testing requirements on all arrivals. The CDC codifies President Biden's executive order on masks for travel. Portugal, the epicenter of the current outbreak, closes the country's borders for two weeks. A winter storm in the Northeast disrupts the skeletal air system. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 23-29

Read all about it! More than 412,000 415,000 420,000 425,000 430,000 433,000 Americans have died as we pass the 25-million case mark. U.S. travel slumps as the traditional January downturn depresses flying. Israel again shuts down flights. Sweden and Finland bar their Nordic neighbors and European nations close their borders to many visitors. Airline fourth-quarter "earnings" are awful. Bricks-and-mortar retailers close shops by the hundreds. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 16-22

Read all about it! Global Coronavirus deaths pass the 2-million mark and near the 100-million case plateau. More than 390,000 395,000 400,000 405,000 410,000 412,000 have died in the United States as we near the 25-million case mark. The Biden Administration expects 100,000 additional deaths just in the next month. Flying sags in Europe as nations tighten lockdowns. The United States sees small Martin Luther King Weekend surge, then the January malaise. And much more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 9-15

Read all about it! Coronavirus cases globally surge and more than 367,000 370,000 375,000 380,000 385,000 390,000 have died in the United States. Flying is plunging after the New Year's rush. Airlines ban rowdy travelers flying back from last week's Capitol riots. Washington and the area's airports lock down ahead of next week's Inauguration. Travel numbers from 2020 continue to show the depth of the industry's crisis while current lockdowns force carriers to cut capacity again. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for January 1-8

The new year starts with more of the same: Coronavirus cases in the United States near 21 million and more than 345,000 350,000 355,000 360,000 365,000 367,000 have died. Canada and England make it even tougher to enter the country as other nations tighten Coronavirus restrictions. More travel shuts down. U.S. flying zigzags after a "huge" Christmas and New Year rush. Click here for the week's updates.

2020 Daily Coronavirus Updates

We began day-by-day tracking of the Coronavirus' effect on travel in late January last year. You can see everything we posted in bullet-point form, grouped into weekly segments, by clicking 2020's archives.