Deserted islands: Pacific resorts struggle to survive a year without tourists

Algae-filled pools and shuttered hotel windows are a reminder that Covid-19 is not just a public health problemOf the handful of countries in the world that managed to stay completely Covid-free, almost all were islands in the South Pacific.Most Pacific countries – protected by their remoteness and their governments’ decisions to close their borders – have kept their case numbers very low, with some notable exceptions, including French Polynesia, which restarted international travel early and suffered a devastating outbreak in the second half of 2020 and Papua New Guinea, which is now facing a very serious flare-up. Continue reading... https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/apr/03/covid-coronavirus-deserted-islands-pacific-resorts-struggle-to-survive-a-year-without-tourists #coronavirus #pacific_islands #fiji #vanuatu #cook_islands #asia_pacific #infectious_diseases #science #south_pacific #world_news