It appears that the US is (either by choice, or by indifference) failing to control the rate of infections. I'm curious whether this is deliberate (in which case the discussion would move to the merits of herd immunity and cost/benefit analysis vs trying harder to spread the infection) or cock-up (in which case the discussion might shift to the reasons and culprits). Incidentally, covid has so far killed twice as many Americans as the worst flu season in the last decade. But again, I'm not really trying to debate whether this death rate merits the interventions (or lack of), more just wondering why the US has got to where it is today.

Uncontrollable population?

Look at the places with 'forced' control like here in the UAE and places with high 'compliant' populations like Japan / South Korea who despite having large populations, have managed to keep numbers really low.

Trader Vic's in West Bay open from tonight.

Not normally newsworthy but we live in strange times.

Causeway possibly opening by the 27th of July according to this.

https://saudigazette.com.sa/article/...by-end-of-July

At least one international border will open... fingers crossed for the flights opening

Nice if true, but would that not allow Bahrain to go to Hajj and none of the other GCC? That sounds more like an attempt to pressurise the roads contractor to increase production.

They'd still need to apply for permits in the regular way. They wouldn't be able to just go. No permits, no Haj.

It's still not clear what they're going to do for Haj. I read somewhere that it would be limited to people inside the Kingdom with set numbers per nationality.

https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/22/middl...ntl/index.html

A post for anybody stuck in the UK, now the FCO has changed their advice against overseas travel, starting tomorrow.

Has anybody seen new HMRC advice on the SRT and exceptional circumstances, since March?

UAE and the GCC are not on the list of countries that have been approved for travel, at the moment.

Neither is Thailand which has had no local transmission recorded for 40 days straight. Though I suspect the omission is largely a result of the Thai government not wiling to reciprocate and I would suspect that will become the theme.

Other than economic reasons, there is almost no reason to allow imported cases from the sick man of Europe. The only reason Spain, Italy and France have allowed the air bridges is because they are also a shit-show.

HMRC confirmed in March that getting stuck in the UK because there’s an FCO advisory against international travel does count as exceptional circumstances. There’s been no word since though on whether they’ll extend the 60 days that can be discounted. It’s been 89 days from April 6th up to and including yesterday, the last day that a blanket travel advisory was in force.

Qatar is still not an option for most but hanging around in the UK doesn’t seem like a good idea either, now that overseas travel is again officially sanctioned. Next stop LHR.

Big jump in the last couple of days, is that people flying in and being tested or...?

Or infected Dubaians trying to get permission to enter Abu Dhabi.

That’s it, blame us 🤣