An informed guide to the global outbreak, with the latest developments and expert advice about prevention and treatment. |
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 | | The New York Times |
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Lara writes: Over the last month, my Swedish partner and I have had to travel from New York to London to Sweden. Each of our three flights was a vastly different experience but gave a preview of what to expect as countries begin to reopen their borders as coronavirus lockdowns ease. |
For our first flight, we arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport to find a virtual ghost town. Only 36 of us were scheduled to take off on the 318-seat Boeing 787 Dreamliner to London, so we were allowed to choose whatever seats — or entire rows — we wanted. We wore masks, as many airlines have required, and food service was reduced. |
Three weeks later, we left for my partner’s home in Gothenburg, Sweden, but because of lower demand, there were no direct routes. Our connecting flight to Stockholm was packed and social distancing was impossible. On our last flight, there were enough empty seats to have a little extra space, but every cough and sneeze still made me nervous. |
Though we would not have traveled if we did not have to, we still wondered: How much risk were we incurring? |
You can’t be completely protected from the virus on a commercial flight, according to the Times science reporter Donald G. McNeil Jr., but if everyone is wearing a mask and there aren’t too many people, a plane can be fairly safe. |
“The biggest factor is luck,” he told us. “Did you get on one of the dozens of planes on any given day that are just fine? Or did you get on the plane that has a virus-spewing superspreader — who may not even be feeling sick — aboard?” |
A whole new world: Tourist-dependent countries are searching for creative ways to bring back international visitors without importing the virus. New Zealand and Australia, for example, are planning for a “travel bubble” to allow unrestricted flights between the two countries, which have largely tamped down their outbreaks. |
But for higher-risk travelers, a study this month hopes to figure out whether the current 14-day quarantine can be shortened. Volunteers will fly from San Francisco to Taipei, Taiwan, and be tested for the virus before boarding and then three, five, seven, 10 and 14 days after arrival. The aim is to determine the latest day a positive test could emerge. |
Related: Passengers on U.S. airlines say that rules requiring passengers to wear masks are not being enforced. |
The data suggests that reopened states and cities allowed some businesses to bring back furloughed employees. Still, the unemployment rate, which fell to 13.3 percent from 14.7 percent in April, remains higher than in any recent recession, with more than 20 million people out of work. |
The unexpected upswing also raised fears that lawmakers could shut off aid prematurely, leaving millions of Americans stranded without work. Republicans had already thrown cold water on the idea of another stimulus package on top of the nearly $2.8 trillion already approved. |
What else we’re following |
- The federal government’s tally of coronavirus-related deaths in nursing homes around the country is missing thousands of deaths, according to a Times analysis.
- Disordered eating in a disordered time: Social isolation and unstructured days add to the anxiety of those struggling to achieve a healthy relationship with food.
- The World Health Organization endorsed the use of masks to reduce transmission of the coronavirus, a reversal critics said was long overdue.
- American students risk falling months behind because of coronavirus-imposed distance learning, new research suggests, and racial and socioeconomic achievement gaps will most likely widen.
- Summer camps are becoming something of a laboratory for companies that are trying to get into the consumer market for testing for the virus.
- Thanks to a virus lockdown, elephants are roaming freely in a Thai national park.
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| For months now, I’ve sent out three trivia questions to my extended family every night at 5 p.m. The person with the right answer gets a point and the competition is fierce. By now I’ve covered every topic you can imagine — Greek mythology, world geography, natural history, professional sports, famous feminists, obscure Harry Potter, and more. It has become a thing we can all count on. |
| — Amy K., Falmouth, Maine |
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