Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 824,000. The national vaccination rate nears 63%. Omicron variant causes record infections worldwide. Bad weather and Covid-related staff shortages make holiday flying a horrible experience. Thousands of flights cancel every day and even Amtrak trims its schedule. Israel tests fourth Pfizer shot in the battle against Omicron. Cruise lines are intent on sailing through the Omicron wave. British aircraft traffic drops 62% in 2021. Apple is shutting retail stores again. Quebec reimposes an evening curfew. And more.

Coronavirus Update: Friday, December 31, 2021

I forgot to post this earlier: The pandemic does terrible things to your memory. NBC News has details. Here are today's other developments:
        Another thousand flights ...   Thursday was another day of 1,000+ flight cancellations. The parade was led by CommutAir, which flies as United Express. It dropped 31% of its schedule. Another United commuter carrier, Mesa, cancelled 11%. United itself reported more than 200 cancellations, equal to 10% of the schedule. Other big dumpers: JetBlue (14%), SkyWest (9%) and Alaska Airlines (7%). (Statistics are from FlightAware.com.)
        ... And another two million flyers   The TSA says 2,049,604 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That's more than 85% of 2019 volume on a similar post-Christmas Day, but exact comparisons are tricky given how holidays fall during each year. Besides, who knows how many of those travelers got left behind due to cancellations?
        Seattle story   Too much snow and Covid sick calls make Sea-Tac Airport and Seattle-hubbed Alaska Airlines the epicenter of this week's flying misery. The Seattle Times has details.
        No winter wonderland   JetBlue Airways is cancelling more than 1,200 flights through January 13 because airlines now indulge in fantasy scheduling to see what flyers will buy. CNBC has details.
        Training to be an airline   Amtrak is thinning its schedule through January 6. It also blames the Omicron outbreak for thinning out staff. The Washington Post has details.
        New year, old rules   Quebec is once again imposing a curfew in an effort to curb the spread of the Omicron variant. The CBC has details of the 10pm curfew, which begins this evening.
        Semper feh   The Marines have discharged more than 200 active-duty personnel because they did not get vaccinated or apply for an exemption. The Washington Examiner has details.

Coronavirus Update: Thursday, December 30, 2021

The Omicron variant may be milder than earlier versions of Coronavirus and less deadly to vaccinated people, but it is causing a global wave of new infections. Records are falling worldwide. Al Jazeera has details. Here are today's other developments:
        In the air ... The TSA says 2,017,937 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. Again, that's nearly 100% of 2019 volume on a similar post-Christmas Day, but exact comparisons are tricky given how holidays fall during each year.
        On the ground ...   U.S carriers cancelled more than 1,000 flights yesterday (again), led by SkyWest and Alaska Airlines (each dropping 12% of their schedules), JetBlue (10%), United (8%) and Delta (5%). (Statistics are from FlightAware.com.)
        I love Paris when it's masked up   Effective December 31, Paris will again require masks in virtually all outdoor areas. The greater Paris areas of Hauts-de-Seine, Val-de-Marne, Val-d’Oise and Seine-et-Marne have also reinstated mask rules in outdoor areas.
        Not gone to the dogs   The Westminster Dog Show has been postponed again. The New York Times has details.
        On ice   The remainder of the world junior hockey championship in Canada has been cancelled. The Associated Press has details.
        Live or die   Recent numbers from the CDC offer a stark tale of vaccinations, boosters and anti-vax holdouts. The unvaxxed are getting Coronavirus at a rate of 451 cases per 100,000. It's just 134 per 100K among the vaxxed and 48 per 100K among the vaxxed-and-boosted crowd. The death rate is even starker: 6.1 per 100,000 among the unvaccinated, 0.5 among the vaxxed and just 0.1 per 100,000 among the vaxxed-and-boosted population.

Coronavirus Update: Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021

Be prepared for a spate of stories from around the globe that sound just like this: The United States set an average seven-day record for new Coronavirus infections. CNN has details. Here are today's other developments:
        Flying ... The TSA says 1,995,747 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. It's nearly 100% of 2019 volume on a similar post-Christmas Day. But beware: Exact comparisons are tricky given how holidays fall during each year.
        Not flying ...   The U.S. airlines cancelled just shy of a thousand flights yesterday as Coronavirus staff shortages and awful weather played havoc with post-Christmas travel. Alaska Airlines cancelled 12% of its flights, followed by SkyWest (11%), JetBlue (9%), United (7%) and Delta (4%). (Statistics are from FlightAware.com.)
        And still cruising ... for some reason   Cruise lines are being hit with Coronavirus infections at sea. But they're still putting the ships out there. The Washington Post has details.
        Europe year   Eurocontrol, which handles the continent's air traffic control, has been crunching the 2021 numbers. United Kingdom aircraft traffic was worst hit, down 62% from 2019. Spain was down 44%. At the other end of the scale, aircraft traffic in Greece was down "only" 27%.
        A well-regulated militia   A federal judge has blocked a request from Oklahoma to exempt its National Guard from the Pentagon's vaccine mandate. That's important because several other red-state leaders were demanding similar exemptions and now seem likely to comply with the Pentagon order. TheHill.com has details.
        Hidden history   The Smithsonian Institution has closed several museums until January 3 in an attempt to curtail the raging Omicron variant. The Washington Business Journal has details.

Coronavirus Update: Tuesday, December 28, 2021

The CDC has cut the isolation time to five days for people who've tested positive for Coronavirus but do not have symptoms. It recommends people in this category spend five additional days wearing a mask. Axios.com has details. Here are today's other developments:
        Airlines limp to the end   The end of the year has become a nightmare for passengers. Awful weather, Covid infections and understaffing has the carriers limping to the finish line. More than 1,000 flights were dumped nationwide by eight carriers on Monday, including nearly 25% of Alaska Airlines' schedule and 17% of flights by super-regional SkyWest. Delta, United and American airlines cancelled from 3% to 5% of their respective schedules. (Statistics are from FlightAware.com.)
        Still busy The TSA says 2,089,186 people passed through U.S. airport checkpoints yesterday. That's 83.6% of 2019 volume on a similar post-Christmas Day. But beware: Exact comparisons are tricky given how holidays fall during each year.
        Apple agonistes   Apple had already closed about two dozen stores around the country and now has mostly shuttered a dozen more in the New York Area. MacRumors.com explains the national angle and TheVerge.com covers the New York move.
        Spain shutdown   Eight Spanish cities--Barcelona, Valencia, Bilbao, Zaragoza, Murcia, Málaga, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and Palma de Mallorca--cancelled open-air New Year's Eve celebrations. Madrid's street party in the Puerta del Sol will continue, however.
        Kevin versus Karen   A wild confrontation between two annoying passengers on a Delta Air Lines flights between Tampa and Atlanta was caught on video. Neither comes out looking particularly good. Fox News has a florid description while CNN sticks known facts.

Coronavirus Update: Monday, December 27, 2021

An Israeli hospital launched a clinical trial today (local time) on the impact of a fourth shot of the Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine. The country's health ministry is considering a national rollout of a fourth vaccine shot. Agence France-Presse has details. Here are today's other developments:
        Christmas catastrophe   The airlines' luck, which held up over a largely painless Thanksgiving travel season, gave out over the Christmas weekend. After a messy Thursday and Friday, Christmas Day was a catastrophe. Six U.S. airlines cancelled more than 800 flights, led by Delta, which dumped more than 300, representing about 15% of its schedule. United and JetBlue each cancelled about 12% of their runs. The airlines mostly blamed Covid coursing through the ranks, but bad weather was part of the reason, too. Boxing Day was even worse, with seven carriers dumping more than 1,100 flights. Hardest hit? Alaska Airlines and its Horizon Air commuter division, which combined to cancel about a third of their schedules. Bad weather in the Pacific Northwest was the largest contributing factor. (Statistics are from FlightAware.com.)
        Not counting the flyers left behind, of course   About 5.3 million people passed through TSA security checkpoints at U.S. airports over the Christmas weekend (Friday-Sunday). That's just 69.7% of the volume from a similar weekend in 2019. Of course, that doesn't count the number of travelers left behind by the Christmas weekend airline meltdown. In fairness, exact comparisons to 2019 are also tricky because of when the holidays fall. So grains of salt ...
        The next wave is now here   There were 1,388,833 new Coronavirus cases in the United States during the last week, according to Johns Hopkins. That's alarmingly higher than the previous week. The death toll was 9,860, about 200 a day more than the previous week. Experts say almost all of the deaths are among unvaccinated Americans.
        Shanghai surprise   A Delta Air Lines flight en route to Shanghai turned around and returned to the United States due to China's aggressive new Coronavirus restrictions. China was critical of the move, but more and more flights to the country are being cancelled. The Associated Press has details.
        Bowled over   College football bowl games are cancelling as teams have trouble finding enough Covid-free players. TheHill.com has details.

Coronavirus Update: Weekend, Dec. 25-26, 2021

The Transportation Department says that the 23 largest U.S. carriers flew 65.6 million passengers in October. That's more than double the 29.9 million who flew in October, 2020, but still 16% fewer than the 78.3 million who flew in 2019. According to the DOT, 60.2 million of October's passengers flew domestically. Here are this weekend's other developments.
        Out of Africa   The Biden Administration announced on Christmas Eve that it would lift the restrictions on visitors from several Southern African nations effective on New Year's Eve. The rules were imposed last month after South Africa identified the Omicron variant. CNN has details.
        Oklahoma is not OK   Enid, Oklahoma, went to war with itself over a mask mandate. The anti-vaxxers were better organized and won. Because the Trumpy "facts don't care about your feelings" crowd decided that their feelings were more important that the scientific facts. The New York Times assesses the social damage.
        Hotel happiness   U.S. hotels were only 53.8% full during the week ended December 18, but STR, the lodging statisticians, say that substantially outperformed a similar pre-Christmas week in 2019.

Daily Coronavirus Updates December 18-24

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 815,000 while the national vaccination rate passes 62%. Israel closes border to U.S. traffic. Hawaiian hotels and resorts are recovering. New mask and vaccine mandates in Chicago, Boston, Washington, Puerto Rico, Italy and Greece. U.S. travel grows markedly before Christmas, but European traffic is falling and airlines cut winter schedules. Ireland, Austria and Catalonia tell bars and restaurants to close early and several Canadian provinces shut them down. The Netherlands abruptly locks down. Thailand reimposes mandatory visitor quarantines. Singapore and New Zealand delay reopenings. Paris, Edinburgh and Italy cancel outdoor New Year's Eve celebrations. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates December 11-17

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 803,000 as the national vaccination rate hits 62%. More than 50 million Americans have contracted the disease. Philadelphia imposes a vaccine mandate next month for indoor dining. Europe clamps down on travel again. Hong Kong airport traffic is down more than 86% compared to 2019. So is passenger traffic at Cathay Pacific. Chief Justice Roberts won't stop in-flight mask mandate as cases proceed in lower courts. United says only around 200 employees left the company rather than comply with its vaccine mandate. Delta Air Lines says Omicron will delay international travel recovery by three or four months. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates December 4-10

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 794,000 while the national vaccination rate hits 61%. The Netherlands will require booster shots to enter the country starting in February. European flight volume in December is missing earlier predictions, but transatlantic traffic is rising. Global airline traffic stays around 50% below 2019 levels. Asia-Pacific carriers are still down more than 90%. New German transport minister says stay home at Christmas. Hong Kong tightens entry rules for U.S. travelers. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates Nov. 27-Dec. 3

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 785,000. The national vaccination rate hits 60%. Britain reimposes travel quarantine and demands PCR tests. France, Norway and Switzerland will now require travelers to complete more testing. The Sunday after Thanksgiving was the busiest flying day since the pandemic began. The TSA says around 20 million traveled over the holiday. Germany locks down the unvaccinated. The UN predicts the pandemic will cost the travel industry $2 trillion in revenue in 2021. JetBlue says 2022 business travel will be just 75% of 2019 levels. Only 43 (yes, 43) visitors arrived in Bali during the first nine months of 2021. And more. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates November 20-26

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 775,000 and more Americans have died from Covid this year than last. The national vaccination rate nears 60%. As the federal vaccine mandate arrives, the TSA says 93% of its staff is covered while the Transportation Department says it is 99% vaccinated. Airport traffic passed two million for seven consecutive days before Thanksgiving. European rail and sea travel has fallen sharply during the pandemic. A South African variant leads many airlines to cancel flights. Violence against Covid rules erupts in Low Countries. Asia-Pacific airlines flew less than 4% of their 2019 passenger volume in October. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates November 13-19

Read all about it! U.S. Coronavirus deaths pass 769,000. The national vaccination rate inches toward 60%. India, Cambodia and Vietnam reopen to international visitors, but Austria locks down again and Germany may follow. Singapore Airlines operated only 32% of its pre-Covid schedule in September. London has its best month for hotel stays since the pandemic began. Dubai has handled only about 21 million flyers so far this year. Free tests for some premium class American Airlines and British Airways travelers. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates November 6-12

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll passes 758,000. The national vaccination rate hits 59%. British Airlines expect to be back to 90% of 2019 transatlantic capacity by next summer. But few senior travel executives expect 2022 to match 2019 volume. Extended-stay hotels are recovering faster than other types of lodging. Canadians wait up to seven hours to cross U.S. land borders on the first day they reopened. Hong Kong says it won't reopen to travelers until the middle of next year. Covid spikes and Coronavirus restrictions are back in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and Norway. Ryanair is already operating more flights than in 2019. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates October 30-November 5

Read all about it! The U.S. Coronavirus death toll passes a landmark 750,000 while the global fatalities pass five million. The national vaccination rate nears 59%. U.S. passenger volume in October was just shy of 80% of 2019 totals. The Netherlands, Germany and Austria reinstate some Covid rules. Shanghai Disneyland locks down for days when a Covid case is detected. Maine had a smashing summer as wary visitors sought out "safe" places. Vaccine mandates earn judicial approval. South Korea, Australia and Thailand relax a few Covid restrictions, but Tonga locks down. Click here for the week's updates.

Daily Coronavirus Updates October 23-October 29

Read all about it! The Coronavirus death toll passes 743,000 as the national vaccination rate finally reaches 58%. The international traffic surge predicted for the global 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. Click here for the week's updates.

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.