Read all about it! Coronavirus death toll passes 743,000 while the national vaccination rate finally reaches 58%. The international traffic surge predicted for the world's reopening hasn't happened, but one day this week U.S. passenger volume reached 94% of 2019 volume. Israel okays fully vaccinated travelers to visit, but requires a booster shot, too. Sweden reopens to U.S. visitors. European traffic across the South Atlantic is picking up. Spain expects a good winter. WestJet restores many flights to its winter schedule. The CDC extends Covid cruise rules. Alabama, Arizona and Florida aren't doing great battling Covid in 2021. And more. Read up from the bottom for context.

Coronavirus Update: Friday, October 29, 2021

Remember that super-surge in traffic expected as soon as the world began to open? Not so much. Air France-KLM chief executive Ben Smith said there was "very, very strong demand" for holiday travel, but no surge in transatlantic traffic for the U.S. reopening on November 8. Meanwhile, Qantas moved up a relaunch of several routes. But they haven't sold. Melbourne-London flights, moved up to November 6, met with "subdued" demand and were cancelled. Flights now resume November 27. Here are today's other developments:
        Almost normal   The TSA says 1,927,041 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That is 94% of 2019 volume on a similar day, the best non-holiday performance since the pandemic began.
        Lingonberries, anyone?   Sweden has extended its non-EU entry ban until next year, but fully vaccinated U.S. travelers can visit beginning November 5. No tests or quarantine will be required.
        Training for masks   Germany's all-important DB Rail is in favor of continuing a mask mandate on trains until at least Easter Sunday. Germany may rescind most mask requirements in November.
        The bubble stays broken   New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern says the Trans-Tasman Bubble permitting free travel to and from Australia will remain unavailable until at least the new year.
        A pointed problem   Nationwide hotel occupancy fell a full point to 63.9% for the week ended October 23. None of the 25 largest lodging markets saw an increase in occupancy, according to STR, the hotel analysts.
        Fire in the hole   New York City firefighters yesterday took their fight against a vaccine mandate to a state court. (The courts have already dismissed complaints from New York police officers.) All city employees must report their vaccine status by today and will not be able to work on Monday if they are not vaccinated. Reuters has the details.

Coronavirus Update: Thursday, October 28, 2021

Oh, the poor babies at big-city labor unions. In New York, the firefighter's union claims its members are "insulted" by the city's vaccine mandate, which takes effect on Friday. They vow to resist despite a judge turning away an injunction request from the police union. Meanwhile, in Los Angeles, city employees now have until December 18 to comply with the city's vaccine mandate. Until then, however, they must test weekly at their own expense if they remain unvaccinated. Here are today's other developments:
        Wednesday warriors   The TSA says 1,547,075 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That is 74.9% of 2019 volume.
        Moscow misery   Moscow is virtually shut down as Russian authorities try to get a handle on a surge of Coronavirus. More than 1,100 died yesterday, the highest daily toll so far. TASS (remember that from the Cold War?) has the details.
        Canada comeback   After dire times in 2020, Canadian hotels are mounting something of a comeback in 2021. In August, monthly Canadian hotel performance reached 73% of the three-year average before the pandemic, according to CoStar, a large lodging analytical concern.
        Florida follies  Florida Governor Ron DeSantis is bootstrapping a 2024 Presidential Campaign around adamant resistance to vaccine and mask mandates. And, amazingly, Florida now has the lowest Covid rate per capita in the nation. But getting there has been a humanitarian disaster. In 2020, 23,384 Floridians died of Covid. Now nearly as many, 21,000, have died just in the past four months. Agence France-Presse has details.
        New Zealand's new rules   New Zealand will expand a vaccine mandate to include about 40% of all workers, especially those who make close contact with the public in restaurants, bars, gyms and hair salons. New Zealand has been closed to outsiders since the pandemic began and the country has largely avoided major Coronavirus outbreaks.

Coronavirus Update: Wednesday, Oct. 27, 2021

Dr. Deborah Birx, who ran the Trump Administration's Coronavirus Task Force, is now laying blame everywhere. Scott Atlas, a controversial vax and Covid skeptic favored by Trump, upset the group's working order, she says. And Trump and his team were distracted by the election, she claims. Of course, that is not what she said at the time. Consider this from an interview she did with the Trump-friendly Christian Broadcasting Network: President Trump "is so attentive to the scientific literature and the details and the data. His ability to analyze and integrate data comes out of his long history in business [and has] been a real benefit during these discussions about medical issues." Read about her current claims at TheHill.com and Politico.com. Here are today's other developments:
        Topping Tuesday   The TSA says 1,503,587 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That is 78.7% of 2019 volume, indicating a strong week of flying ahead.
        Cruise control   The CDC extended rules governing how cruise lines must deal with Covid and vaccines. The so-called conditional sail order requires cruise lines to operate with at least 95% of crew and passengers fully vaccinated on each voyage. The rule was due to expire November 1, but has been extended to January 15. You can review the order here.
        Big Eas(ier)   Louisiana has lifted its indoor mask mandate except for some school situations. The Baton Rouge Business Report has the details.
        If you mandate, they will vax   Arkansas-based Tyson Foods, the chicken giant, says 96% of its 120,000 employees are now vaccinated. Almost 60,000 took the vaccine since the mandate was issued in early August. TheHill.com has details.
        Hotel happiness   For the four weeks ending October 16, lodging analysts STR says 18 states outperformed their comparable 2019 revenue per available room (revPAR), a key indicator of hotel profit. That number was down from 21 states last month, STR says, but "close misses” expand it to 37 states. More of the details are here.
        George Santayana to the white courtesy phone   Did Arizona learn from New York State's struggles last year with the Coronavirus? Of course not. It has now reached New York levels of deaths per capita even though the vaccine is available and we know better what works. The Washington Post has the details.

Coronavirus Update: Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Rules laid out by the CDC for entry into United States after borders reopen on November 8 are much as expected: Fully vaccinated flyers are welcome with a negative test three days before flight. Travelers who aren't fully vaccinated must show a negative test taken one day before departure. Complete details are at the CDC site. Politico has the background and specifics. Here are today's other developments:
        Less is (a lot) more   The TSA says 1,989,373 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That is a few thousand less than last Monday (October 18). But at 84.8% of 2019 volume, it's a 5-point jump over last Monday's comparison to a similar jump in 2019.
        A wheel in the ditch and a wheel on the track   Alabama is just 44.4% vaccinated, 48th in the country, says the Mayo Clinic. The per capita death toll (314 per 100,000 people) is the second-worst in the nation, according to Statista. Governor Kay Ivey's response? Nullification. She signed an executive order barring state agencies from implementing federal vaccine mandates. Because letting people die isn't enough in Alabama. You must violate the Constitution, too. TheHill.com has the details.
        Locked down   After a Coronavirus outbreak, Lanzhou, a city of four million people, has been locked down by Chinese officials.
        Hobbled Hong Kong   Hong Kong authorities are continuing and even expanding quarantines for arriving visitors. Some observers believe the moves are another attempt by the mainland Chinese government to crush resistance in the once-independent city-state. Agence France-Presse has details.

Coronavirus Update: Monday, October 25, 2021

U.S. officials are expected to unveil more specifics today about how international visitors can enter the country beginning November 8. Expect contact tracing as well as proof of vaccination and the airlines to be tasked with checking status before boarding a flight for a U.S. destination. Here are today's other developments:
        Down and up   About 5.8 million people passed through airport TSA security checkpoints at U.S. airports over the weekend (Friday-Sunday). That's down a bit from last week, but represents around 83.3% of 2019 traffic on a similar weekend. That's up compared to last week.
        We have vaccines, people ...   There were 509,903 new Coronavirus cases in the United States during the last week, according to Johns Hopkins. That is roughly 20% below last week. The death toll increased to 11,213, however.
        When ten is more than 10   Eurocontrol says aircraft traffic in Europe totaled 162,572 flights for the week ended October 24. That's just ten more flights than last week. But that represents 74% of 2019 volume, a jump of more than one full point compared to last week. Traffic to Central America and the Caribbean increased 27% during the last two weeks and was just 7% below 2019 levels on Sunday.
        Sketches of Spain   Spain's Association of Airlines says that the country expects more flights during the winter months and volume may surpass totals in 2019.
        WestJet ramps up   WestJet says it is restoring service and adding additional flights to 95 destinations in its pre-pandemic network. The new and added service within Canada, to/from the United States and international destinations is mostly slated to begin in December.
        Marathon to the sprint   It's only around 100 days to the start of the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing, but the Chinese government today cancelled the Beijing Marathon scheduled on Saturday, October 31. The BBC has the details.

Coronavirus Update: Weekend, October 23-24, 2021

Next week should bring a CDC decision on Pfizer's request to approve its vaccine for children age 5-11. Moderna is expected to apply for similar approval. Here are this weekend's other developments:
        Canada cautions   Canada has dropped its advisory against international travel. TheHill.com has the details.
        If you mandate, they will vax   The deadline for employees in New York City's public schools to be vaccinated has passed. Despite the dire predictions, only about 4% of the organization's 150,000 workers failed to comply. Next up: a November 1 deadline for all other city employees. The New York Times has the details.
        A good week at hotels   Nationwide hotel occupancy for October 10-16 averaged 65%. That is the highest occupancy rate since mid-August, says lodging analysts STR, but still down 10% compared to a similar week in 2019.
        Israel with a twist   Visitors who are vaccinated against the Coronavirus will be able to enter Israel starting next month, the government said on Thursday. But there's a tricky fillip attached: Israel now defines "vaccinated" as someone who has had a booster shot in the last six months. Reuters has some of the details.

Daily Coronavirus Updates October 16-October 22

Read all about it! Coronavirus death toll passes 733,000 while the national vaccination rate remains below 58%. American and Alaska airlines expect a full traffic and revenue recovery next year. Despite the summer travel "boom" because it opened earlier than most of Europe, Greek year-to-date traffic is down 49% compared to 2019. Hong Kong Airport and flag carrier Cathay Pacific each handled just 5% of 2019 traffic during September. Bali reopens to overseas visitors, but tourists and flights are scarce. How's the Missouri Compromise working out for us now? And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates October 9-October 15

Read all about it! Coronavirus deaths march past 721,000. The national vaccination rate nudges past 57%. About 40% of TSA agents are still not vaccinated. Business travel to Orlando is off around 80%. Singapore opens to U.S. travelers, but rules about proof-of-vaccination are problematic. Australia will now allow all citizens to return, but opening to visitors remains off the board. Thailand and Malaysia begin opening to vaccinated travelers. The Delta variant is retarding the recovery of business travel and the hotel industry. Boeing imposes a vaccine mandate on employees. France says Covid tests for travel are no longer free. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates October 2-October 8

Read all about it! Coronavirus deaths race past 710,000. The national vaccination rate crawls to 56.8%. Most major U.S. carriers confirm that they will require staff vaccinations after White House declares airlines to be federal contractors. United Airlines, which mandated vaccines in August, says only 200 employees haven't complied. Canada says air and rail passengers must be vaccinated starting October 30. JPMorgan Chase says unvaccinated staffers can't travel on business or attend in-person meetings. Australia says visitors barred until next year. Bali and India reopen to tourists later this month. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates Sept. 25-October 1

Read all about it! Coronavirus deaths pass 697,000, but the national vaccination rate barely cracks 56%. Sea-Tac requires all employees be vaccinated. International travel in the Asia-Pacific region was just 4% of 2019 levels in August. International traffic worldwide was down 68%. Transatlantic carriers reduce capacity in December even though Europeans can visit the United States again starting in November. Montserrat opens to vaccinated travelers, with a quarantine requirement. The Cayman Islands will continue to require quarantines for all arriving visitors. Thailand removes restrictions on vaccinated travelers headed to Bangkok and major leisure destinations. Florida's governor says that we should reassess our relationship with Australia because the country's Coronavirus policies are too restrictive. (PS: Around 1,300 have died in Australia while 55,000 have died in Florida.) And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for September 18-24

Read all about it! Coronavirus deaths pass 684,000, but the national vaccination rate barely cracks 55.5%. Global airline capacity through the end of the year remains down by one third compared to 2019. American hotels claim they will lose $59 billion in business travel revenue this year, even more than in 2020. United Airlines says 97% of employees are now vaccinated. Delta says its vax rate is now 82%. A vaccine mandate for Italy's workers leads to a boom in vaccinations. London/Gatwick is losing nearly $600 per passenger. Cathay Pacific in August flew just 13% of its 2019 capacity. Delta wants all airlines to have a common list of passengers who have been banned from flying due to masking issues. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for September 11-17

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 670,000 while the national vaccination rate remains below 55%. Starting in October, Thailand will reopen Bangkok and Chiang Mai to visitors and Vietnam will reopen its first tourist destination. Delta Air Lines says that 4,000 employees got vaccinated after the carrier announced a $200 monthly surcharge on health coverage for unvaccinated workers. United Airlines says 90% of employees are vaccinated. Travel is falling after the Labor Day weekend. KLM won't require cabin crews to vaccinate and Dutch government says vaccinated American visitors won't have to quarantine. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for September 4-10

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 654,000 while the national vaccination rate hits 54%. More European nations, including France, close their doors to some U.S. visitors. U.S. and Canadian carriers tighten staff vaccine policies. Some Hawaii hotels will require proof of vaccination. Flights between Europe and North America are down 46% compared to 2019. Overflowing with Covid cases, hospitals in Texas, Florida and Idaho are in crisis. And much more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for August 28-Sept. 3

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 643,000. Hospitalizations in the United States return to winter highs. The national vaccination rate inches past 53%. Global airlines continue issuing vaccine mandates for employees and passengers. More jurisdictions worldwide require proof of vaccination to dine out. The Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Bulgaria limit travel after the EU moves the United States off its safe list. KLM drops flights to Miami, Orlando and Las Vegas after the Dutch restrict U.S. travel. A big summer for Las Vegas casinos. Mask mandates and vaccine requirements spread to destinations worldwide. And much more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for August 21-August 27

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 633,000 and new infections again soar to 150,000 cases a day. The average daily death toll is once again above 1,000. The national vaccine rate now has inched past 52%. Tourists are slow to return to Paris, but they are overwhelming Maine. No one seems to be policing the mask mandate at Myrtle Beach Airport. Hawaii's governor tells visitors to stay away. More airlines impose employee vaccine mandates. Ten million flights have not operated in Europe since the pandemic began. U.S. daily travel falls to the lowest levels in three months. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for August 14-August 20

Read all about it! Covid deaths pass 625,000 and new infections in the United States again soar past 100,000 cases a day. National vaccination rate inches past 51%. Germany again requires unvaccinated American visitors to quarantine on arrival. Japan and Australia widen their lockdowns. Global airline capacity is flat. Two NFL teams and the Consumer Electronics Show will require vaccines for in-person attendance. Three more major airlines order their staffers to be vaccinated. Hong Kong International Airport passenger traffic is down 98%. And more. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for August 7-August 13

Read all about it! Covid deaths pass 619,000 as new infections in the United States once again soar past 100,000 a day. The national vaccination rate inches toward 51%. U.S. airline traffic seems to be slowing. Global carriers reduce seat capacity again. Amtrak and Frontier and Hawaiian airlines join United and require employees to be vaccinated; Delta, American and Southwest demur. Puerto Rico lodgings will require proof of vaccination. Federal court halts Florida rules barring cruise lines from requiring crews and passengers be vaccinated. Canada will require all air travelers and interprovincial rail passengers be vaccinated. Martinique closes beaches, hotels and vacation rentals and tourists are told to leave. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for July 31-August 6

Read all about it! U.S. Covid deaths pass 615,000. The vaccination rate inches past 50%. Europe records its best month of aircraft traffic since the pandemic began. Tokyo hotels are below 50% occupancy even with the Olympics in town. China, Thailand and Australia battle new Covid outbreaks and impose new restrictions. Bars and restaurants in several U.S. cities now require proof of vaccination. One in three new Coronavirus infections comes from just two states, Texas and Florida. Americans traveling to Israel will again be required to quarantine on entry. The Delta variant causes the cancellation of major events. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for July 24-July 30

Read all about it! The U.S. Covid death toll passes 612,000 and the vaccination rate remains below 50%. The United States says it will not loosen restrictions on visitors from Europe, China, Brazil and other countries while the CDC slaps a "do not travel" warning on several more nations. Hotels in locked-down Sydney, Australia, are less than 2% occupied. Florida is the epicenter of the Coronavirus and accounts for one in five new infections in the United States. England opens to vaccinated U.S. travelers without quarantine. Las Vegas, Reno and Washington impose indoor mask mandates. Transatlantic summer traffic collapses. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for July 17-July 23

Read all about it! The U.S. Covid death toll passes 610,000, but the vaccination rate slows and remains below 50%. Canada opens to fully vaccinated U.S. visitors next month, but the United States says land borders remain closed for at least another 30 days. American Airlines claims domestic business travel will return to 2019 norms next year. Many places advise wearing a mask in public and some reimpose nightly curfews. The Australia-New Zealand "travel bubble" collapses. The CDC and State Department slap "do not travel" warning on the United Kingdom. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates for July 10-July 16

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 bars 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. Click here for the week's updates.

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.