Popular tourist oases deliberately hide coronavirus outbreaks

A new pandemic shaft is now useless to anyone: tourists are expected in warm regions, and winter is especially severe in cold regions due to geopolitical upheavals. Most tourist “meccas” at the official level are modestly silent about their covid condition, but, like a sewing bag, you can’t hide the covid in the resort. In some countries, locals are afraid of getting infected from tourists, in others it’s the other way around – and everyone is watching “the neighbor”.

We have divided countries that have already faced a new coronavirus wave into “honest” (recognizing the problem and returning restrictions), “not very honest” (reimposing restrictions, but not recognizing the problem) and completely dishonest, concealing their covid situation.

The increase in the incidence, similar to a new wave of the pandemic, was honestly announced by France through its prime minister.

“We can’t hide it,” says a Russian woman living in Paris. – There are so many Ukrainians in the country now, as well as Arab, African, Middle Eastern and Asian refugees and relocators and some random people in general, such a high density of people per 1 square meter of public places that if it breaks out, it will break out! If three years ago we didn’t want masks ourselves and laughed at the restrictions, now, even before the Prime Minister’s statement, many put on masks themselves.

Italy does not hide that it is recording an impressive increase in the incidence of covid. And he has so many victims in this country that you don’t even need to ask about the attitude to security measures.

– I lost so many relatives and friends during the pandemic that if someone without a mask starts sneezing or coughing near me somewhere in a cafe, on a train, on an airplane and in any confined space, I can’t vouch for myself! It is a crime!

And the most honest in the face of covid countries is Spain. She did not cancel the mask regime from the “first” pandemic, spitting that she was bowed right and left as “the last country in the EU that still covers her face.” But now the covid situation there is, on the whole, more prosperous than that of the neighbors.

From the very appearance of covid on Earth, China has behaved honestly: from January 2020 to this day, it has never even opened for foreigners, and only this November it began to think about issuing non-tourist visas – for business, study, visiting relatives, etc. But, apparently, nothing will come of it: otherwise, why, having barely opened on November 25, just 4 days later, Shanghai Disneyland and the TV tower closed again, which had gathered hordes of tourists in pre-Soviet times. At the same time, Shanghai again tightened sanitary requirements for public catering and introduced PCR tests no older than 48 hours into any public places, from shops and restaurants to offices. And everyone arriving in Shanghai, including those departing on business from Shanghai (tourists have not been seen in the Celestial Empire for 3 years), the first 5 days must sit in voluntary-compulsory isolation at home.

– The authorities have warned that in public places like banks, bazaars, restaurants, shopping centers there may be “random” (selective. – Auth.) checks, – say Russian-speaking Shanghainese. – And if, during such a check, someone who arrived in the city less than 5 days ago is caught walking, he will have a huge fine.

– Such a strong flash?

“No one knows. But if there are measures, then they are necessary for something. The people, however, are already tired of these bans, in our country they are discussing not an outbreak, but covid riots.

– What is it?

– In Urumqi (the capital of Xinjiang province. – Auth.) people died in the fire, more than a dozen people, many more in hospitals with burns. Citizens are sure that firefighters were unable to provide assistance in a timely manner due to severe coronavirus restrictions. It seems that everyone there was forced to stay at home, although the authorities deny this. But protests have erupted across the city, with crowds of protesters walking around without masks. So if there is no new pandemic yet, then after such a massive congestion it will be.

The countries of “second honesty” include popular winter tourist destinations. You can understand them: they still haven’t really recovered from the first pandemic, where do they need a “second season”? But some, at least through prohibitions, hint to potential guests that not everything is going smoothly in their kingdom. So, from November 25, Brazil returned the mandatory mask regime at airports and airplanes and the advisory regime in crowded places. According to the Latin American Foundation for Medical Research, the incidence has generally increased in 15 Brazilian states, and especially in tourist Rio and Sao Paulo.

“They don’t tell us about the outbreak,” the Russian woman, who permanently lives in Rio, answers the question. – Like, just a carnival on the nose, it’s better to overdo it. By the way, many of us are used to masks, and they have been wearing them since the beginning of that pandemic.

– But you’re hot! And in a mask you will suffocate!

– The fact of the matter is that it is unfashionable for Brazilians, spoiled by the sun, to sunbathe. Especially the face: from sunburn – wrinkles. They used to go in dark glasses on half a face, and the lower part – in a silk scarf. A mask is more comfortable. Some make a hole in it at the level of the mouth so that they can breathe, talk, eat, drink and smoke through it. Some even manage to spit through it. And at the carnival, everyone is already wearing masks, so no one really sniffs around here, but how many actually got sick and died again ?! Here the people simply argue: since the mask mode has been returned, it means that it’s a pipe.

Thailand also fell into the “second category of honesty”: there was an official “strong recommendation” from the local Ministry of Health to its people and guests to wear masks again in crowded places. Explanations for this convincing request have not yet been given, but among the locals there is already gossip about outbreaks in the most overcrowded resort areas: it is no coincidence that nightlife was banned there – now by midnight all entertainment establishments are closed, and alcohol is not even sold to take away.

Since November 22, India also canceled the last covid restrictions, which made its Goa resort a leader in terms of tourist demand in its region. And it was there that an unprecedented thing happened: many, hitherto considered “fatalists, greedy for tourist money,” Goan hoteliers, without any decree from the authorities, privately demand a PCR test and wearing masks from their guests.