Subliminal wrote:There are European countries - such as Sweden - which even don't have paper masks.
...and Italy is on strike. So fucking what? You were asking about normality. Sweden is perhaps more liberal than most, but nothing is normal even there. Perhaps there is a sense of division now appearing throughout the world, but governments aren't weakening there preventive measures as far as I can see. And until all of Europe is vaccinated, even the UK who is ahead with their vaccination program will have to place restrictions on travel due to the dangers of new variants. So again, that isn't normal. Nothing will be normal until governments decide to mitigate rather than suppress. But that requires honesty and I doubt we will see that until there is no other choice.
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Actually you can go travelling right now. There are lots of European lockdown refugees in Sansibar at the moment.
Well you cannot travel on holiday legally at the moment. And even "essential" travel requires 10 days in a hotel. Again that isn't normal. And this isn't ceasing any time soon. That measure will be in place for a year at least. I suspect longer.
Zoom can't replace meeting people in person. Shopping on the internet may be slightly cheaper, nevertheless there are so many people who enjoy shopping tours. There are so many people who are looking forward to go back to shopping malls and travelling without masks. People want to catch up what they missed during the pandemic. As soon as the restrictions will be lifted, shopping malls will be full of people (and airports as well).
Relifting of restrictions perhaps will help at least the retail sector. I don't see international travel returning to what is was ever again. Maybe holidays will return, but zoom has shrank the world and unneeded business trips will cease I am sure. And that isn't even taking account that new variants breaking out will no doubt result in action being taken on travel in any case.