In 2020, the tourism industry was practically brought to its knees by the pandemic. Bookings collapsed with the speed of a boulder rolled off a cliff, regularly sold products turned into cancellations, and travelers' confidence shattered as the map of restrictions was dotted with red dots in every corner of the world.
Everyone would like to go on holiday again, but European and global public authorities have as a priority to stop the spread of a new, more lethal strain of the SARS VOC-2 virus. In order to limit the number of deaths and the exposure of the public health system, almost any freedom of movement or socialization was sacrificed.
In these conditions, how can we enjoy a cocktail on the beach in the summer, or explore the culture and history of some places that we put at the top of the wish list? Repeated testing or COVID vaccines will drive away fears and uncertainties, but caution is the word that will accompany us in the near future, until the world becomes immune to the virus.
Even if the effects of the new vaccines are much more effective than initially anticipated by health experts, it is unlikely that a consensus will be reached quickly on the mandatory vaccination in order to increase the freedom to travel. What we know now is that we will be able to travel much easier. Cyprus opens the list of states that recognize the vaccine as a guarantor for the elimination of quarantine, Singapore is considering a similar possibility, but Europe and most other countries in the world are far from thinking.
This is because, at present, specialists have not clearly determined whether or not vaccinated people can spread COVID-19. "We do not yet have information on whether a COVID vaccine reduces the risk of spreading or transmitting; what the data shows now is that vaccines reduce the risk of getting sick, ”said ABC News chief medical officer Dr. Jennifer Ashton. Thus, until clinical research provides new evidence, precautions to reduce the risk of disease transmission will remain valid, ie wearing masks, impeccable hand hygiene and physical distance, but also the absence of excessive socialization.
In addition, until the vaccine is available to a significant number of the global population, PCR-RT or antigen testing will still be required to travel. The key to a freer future could be a centralized digital unit test management system, which could halt the economic decline of tourism, which could lose up to $ 318 billion in the aviation industry in 2021 alone.
The pandemic reminded us all that human connections are indestructible in such an intensely connected world, and in order to be healthy and to be able to travel to dream destinations, we must take care of each other. No one can be considered completely safe until everyone is safe and healthy.
