Header Ads

Israel becomes a Covid success story

Here's the latest news from the global pandemic.

Israel joins world's most Covid-safe places

Every month, Bloomberg crunches the numbers for a snapshot of the best and worst places to be in the Covid-19 era.

The Covid Resilience Rankingcovering 10 moving indicators including cases, fatalities, vaccines, people's freedom of movement and economic prospectsshows where the virus has been handled the most effectively, with the least amount of social and economic disruption.

In March, the world's fastest inoculation drive has propelled Israel into the top five of the Ranking, putting the country alongside success stories like New Zealand and Taiwan. It is the first new entrant into the top rungs since we started keeping track in November, with the pantheon of Covid success stories dominated by economies in the Asia-Pacific.

But unlike many best performing places where entry is tightly policed to keep the coronavirus out, Israel's vaccine-driven normalization means it's also easing border curbs quickly.

The U.S., U.K., and United Arab Emiratesplaces where doses given out are enough to cover at least a fifth of the populationall rose in this month's Ranking, gaining on front-runners like Australia and China, where the virus is all but eliminated.

An Israeli man shows his green pass, proof of being fully vaccinated against Covid.

Photographer: JACK GUEZ/AFP

Economies that beat the virus early are now lagging on vaccinations and are in danger of losing their edge as vaccine frontrunners revive travel and fully reopen their economies.

Meanwhile, Europe is paying the price for a chaotic vaccine rollout, with nine of the 10 most significant Ranking declines in March, and cities like Paris locked down again despite the bloc's vast stockpile of shots.

These turnarounds among the fastest inoculators come, however, amid the threat of a new global wave.

Cases and fatalities worldwide are rising again, particularly in the developing world, parts of which are yet to see a single vial of any vaccine. Economies in Latin America and Africa continue to populate the lowest rungs of the Ranking, with Mexico in last spot since its inception, as the fatality rate remains high. The domination of vaccine supply by richer countries will likely prevent poorer nations from moving up in the coming months.

Can these vaccine leaders sustain their momentum and return to pre-pandemic conditions soon? Stay tuned in April, when we'll update again.—Jinshan Hong

Vaccine Passports

A Vaccine Passport Is the New Golden Ticket

Greece is at the forefront of a bid to revive travel with the help of so-called vaccine passports—certificates or digital cards testifying to the apparent low-risk status of their holders—which is gaining traction in tourist-reliant economies. Yet the case for the passes is far from universally accepted. More fundamental are questions surrounding the fairness of vaccine passports, which would inevitably favor rich nations over poorer ones Get the Bloomberg Businessweek cover story here.

Greece seeks to lure travelers to its beaches as economies reopen.

Photographer: NurPhoto/NurPhoto

 

What you should read

Astra Lowers Vaccine Efficacy After U.S. Criticism
The updated efficacy rate of 76% compares with an earlier estimate of 79%.
Tourism Shaky as Herd Immunity a Distant Dream
Current vaccination rates suggest many countries have a long road ahead.
Weaker Africa Virus Controls Drove Severe Wave
Virus variants, easing of safety controls fueled a second wave of infections.
DIY Projects Are Fueling Home-Renovation Boom
Americans spend on their homes like never before.
Your Chance for a Crazy Deal on Luxury Travel
While you may not be ready to travel yet, you still may want to start booking.

Know someone else who would like this newsletter? Have them sign up here.

Have any questions, concerns, or news tips on Covid-19 news? Get in touch or help us cover the story.

Like this newsletter? Subscribe for unlimited access to trusted, data-based journalism in 120 countries around the world and gain expert analysis from exclusive daily newsletters, The Bloomberg Open and The Bloomberg Close.

No comments