WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vaccine hoarding

WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vaccine hoarding
WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vaccine hoarding

Thank you for reading the news about WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vaccine hoarding and now with the details

Jeddah - Yasmine El Tohamy - GILI TRAWANGAN: Chef Ilhani used to serve up Japanese cuisine to holidaymakers every night, now he makes just $3 a day selling fried snacks on the near empty streets of once bustling Gili Trawangan.
The coronavirus pandemic has shuttered almost all the resorts and restaurants across Indonesia’s Gili Islands, famed for their turquoise waters, sandy beaches, and diverse marine life.
Situated close to Bali, tourism and the local economy had been booming, with around 1,500 foreign visitors visiting Trawangan every day.
But when authorities first imposed a nationwide virus lockdown in March 2020 and then closed borders to international travelers, his restaurant could not survive the loss of business.
Almost two years on, he says he is struggling to support his wife and four children.
“Life is painfully difficult now. I sell fried snacks because it is something that locals can afford,” he told AFP, adding: “In the past, whatever we sell there are tourists who will buy, but now as you can see the island is deserted.”
The three Gili islands — Trawangan, Meno and Air — have long been reliant on foreign travelers. There are some 800 hotels with 7,000 rooms but only between 20 and 30 properties remain open, according to Lalu Kusnawan, the chairman of Gili Hotel Association who runs a resort in Trawangan.
Shops, bars, cafes, restaurants all stand empty, some up for sale, others abandoned altogether. Dust and spider webs gather on long unused tables and chairs.
Staff that once worked there have been forced to find other ways to earn a living — some have turned to fishing just to feed their families.
The coronavirus pandemic will cost the global tourism sector $2.0 trillion in lost revenue in 2021 — the same losses as 2020, the UN’s tourism body warned last week.
International tourist arrivals will this year remain 70-75 percent below the 1.5 billion arrivals recorded in 2019 before the pandemic hit, according to the World Tourism Organization, adding that the sector’s recovery will be “fragile” and “slow.”

Ilhani fears the suffering will be prolonged because the Indonesian government is now planning to impose stricter virus restrictions in anticipation of a fresh wave of infections.
In Gili Trawangan’s port, most of the boats — used to transfer tourists from one island to another or to reach diving sites — have been anchored for months. A bit further, a pontoon is left to rot.
Borders were officially re-opened in October, but direct international flights to Bali are yet to resume as tourists face a quarantine and strict visa requirements, limiting the demand.
And as fears grow over new Covid variant omicron, Indonesia has extended its mandatory quarantine to ten days, dashing hopes of an imminent tourism revival.
Kusnawan fears he and his fellow islanders cannot take much more.
“We are not just bleeding, but we no longer have blood to bleed out... We were already in a bad shape even before the omicron,” he added.
Abdian Saputra, who runs a boat service from Bali to the islands, said he had to sell his assets and lay off half his staff in order to keep his business open as the pandemic meant far fewer sailings were necessary.
“I rarely see any new passengers since the pandemic. If we stop, businesses such as hotels will also die. We are helping each other to be able to survive,” he said.
“But if the situation stays like this, my business could see its last breath in January or early February next year,” he added.
But for foreign travelers who reached Indonesia before the borders closed, or who already lived in the country, the situation has enabled them to explore the island paradise untroubled by mass tourism.
Nicolas Lindback, who is originally from Norway, explained: “I will never experience the island like this again, but if I have to choose I prefer the tourism back...because locals are already suffering long enough.”

These were the details of the news WHO warns fears of omicron could spark new vaccine hoarding for this day. We hope that we have succeeded by giving you the full details and information. To follow all our news, you can subscribe to the alerts system or to one of our different systems to provide you with all that is new.

It is also worth noting that the original news has been published and is available at Arab News and the editorial team at AlKhaleej Today has confirmed it and it has been modified, and it may have been completely transferred or quoted from it and you can read and follow this news from its main source.

NEXT Blinken vows support for Central Asian nations’ independence in bid to weaken Russia’s influence

Author Information

I have been an independent financial adviser for over 11 years in the city and in recent years turned my experience in finance and passion for journalism into a full time role. I perform analysis of Companies and publicize valuable information for shareholder community. Address: 2077 Sharon Lane Mishawaka, IN 46544, USA Phone: (+1) 574-255-1083 Email: [email protected]