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

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

‘Covid zero’ countries find reopening harder than taming virus

Some countries tamed the coronavirus at breathtaking speed as they swung into action, unlike others, by imposing harsh restrictions, sealing borders and closing international travel. It paid off. Nations like New Zealand, Australia, Singapore, and Hong Kong have had fewer deaths from a pandemic that has claimed almost 3.3 million lives worldwide. But, how for long can these countries persist with this strategy of aggressive lockdowns in order to report fewer cases remains a question, for it involves heavy costs. With rapid vaccinations, many countries are now reopening and tolerating some infections