(CNN) – US airlines have seen cancellations and chaos, Canada and Japan crack down on Covid rule breakers, but the UK is opening up to more and more vaccinated visitors.
We learned that on pandemic trips this week.
1. The US “do not travel” list just got bigger
Greece, including Athens, has been hit by an extreme heat wave and forest fires have broken out across the country.
Milos Bicanski / Getty Images
US citizens have been advised against traveling to countries with more than 500 Covid cases per 100,000 residents for the past 28 days, including popular tourist destinations such as the UK, Spain and the Maldives.
Now the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has given 16 new targets their top risk rating “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High”.
They are (deep breath): Andorra, Curaçao, Gibraltar, Greece, Guadeloupe, Iran, Ireland, Isle of Man, Kazakhstan, Lesotho, Libya, Malta, Martinique, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Martin and the US Virgin Islands.
That means US citizens should avoid traveling to these locations and, if they really need to travel, should be fully vaccinated. View the CDC’s full list of recommendations here.
2. The UK opens up inbound and outbound travel
The number of cases in the UK has plummeted since England lifted almost all Covid restrictions on July 19, but there were still nearly 183,000 new cases last week.
However, the country has seen a very successful introduction of vaccines, with more than 58% of the population now fully vaccinated.
Wales will drop most restrictions on August 7th while Scotland will do so on August 9th. Northern Ireland – on the other side of the Irish Sea – has its own region-specific policies.
Fully stung travelers from the US and the EU are now allowed to enter the UK quarantine-free – although the CDC of course warns US citizens not to do just that.
With regard to outbound travel, the UK updated its “green list” on Thursday, adding Austria, Germany, Latvia, Norway, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia to the quarantine-free travel list. You can read more about this here.
3. US airlines – and their passengers and crew – had a rough week
At the time of writing on Friday, Florida-based ultra-low-cost airline Spirit Airlines had entered its fifth day of mass cancellations. Hundreds of flights have been canceled every day since Sunday, which the airline attributes to weather challenges, system failures and staff shortages. American Airlines was also in the frenzy of cancellation.
Frontier Airlines now says it will “assist” and pay the crew of flight attendants who they previously said were suspended after tapping back a passenger who was charged with touching and beating them.
The Denver-based ultra-low-cost carrier Frontier had problems of a different kind.
A passenger on a weekend flight from Philadelphia to Miami was held back by cabin crew after allegedly sexually abusing and verbally and physically abused two employees. The airline has been criticized for suspending flight attendants first before later assisting the crew.
4. Israelis were told not to hug
Elderly Israelis await their third vaccination with the Pfizer vaccine at a Netanya nursing home in August.
Oded Balilty / AP
Israel is facing a new wave of infections, with more than 21,000 new cases recorded in the past week. A government statement urged citizens to “stop shaking hands, hugging and kissing, and avoid any gathering in an enclosed space that is not necessary.”
Last month, Israel completely banned people from Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Cyprus, Georgia, the UK, India, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Russia, Spain, South Africa, Turkey and Uzbekistan from going there unless they are given special permission the Israeli authorities.
5. Canada fined two travelers nearly $ 20,000 for incorrect Covid information
Toronto Pearson International Airport pictured in April 2020.
Cole Burston / Getty Images
Two travelers who came to Toronto from the United States in July were fined nearly $ 20,000 each for non-compliance with entry requirements, according to the country’s health department.
Visitors misrepresented evidence of vaccinations and pre-departure testing and did not meet requirements for testing on arrival and staying in government-approved accommodation, the agency said.
From August 9, fully vaccinated Americans will be allowed to enter the country for non-essential travel – but only if they meet all state requirements.
6. Japan insults and abuses rule breakers
The Japanese government is also cracking down on those who break the rules.
On Monday, Japan publicly named three Japanese nationals who broke quarantine rules after returning from abroad, Reuters reported.
Japan requires all overseas travelers, including Japanese citizens, to self-quarantine for two weeks.
7. A Dallas firefighter “faked Covid results and then went to a resort”
William Jordan Carter is accused of lying when he tested positive for Covid-19 to take some time off.
Dallas County Sheriff’s Office
Bank records show Carter made multiple purchases during his spare time, including nearly $ 1,400 at the Kalahari Resort, a large indoor water park and resort in Round Rock, Texas.
8. A Carnival cruise ship reported Covid cases
After a “small number of positive cases” of Covid-19 had been found on board a ship of the Carnival Cruise Line, a new fleet-wide mask policy was introduced on Wednesday evening, which obliges all guests to wear masks in some interior areas, the cruise company said – two days earlier than planned.
Carnival didn’t immediately say exactly how many positive cases were discovered aboard Carnival Vista, which departed from Galveston, Texas.
9. More vaccine mandates have been introduced in the US and beyond
In the coming weeks, New York City will introduce a new policy requiring proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers, and indoor entertainment venues.
“Unfortunately, if you are not vaccinated, there are many things you cannot take part in,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio on Tuesday.
United Airlines mandates Covid-19 vaccines for all employees, while UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said in an interview with the BBC this week that he believes that “full vaccination will be a trait, and forever.” all countries will probably do so ”. a full vaccination is required for entry. “Finally, a White House official confirmed to CNN on Wednesday that the Biden administration was developing a plan to make vaccinations mandatory for almost all foreign visitors to the United States.
Officials are still in the early stages of developing the plan and an announcement is not imminent.
CNN’s Alexis Benveniste, Sarah Dean, Hadas Gold, Marnie Hunter, Tara John, Lauren Kent, Ashley Killough, Virginia Langmaid, Pete Muntean, Dominic Rech, Francesca Street, Amir Vera and Gregory Wallace contributed to this story.
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