Worldwide, over 137 million people have COVID-19, the infamous virus that emerged in late-2019 and took the world by storm! With over 3 million deaths from the unexpected virus, staying safe from the virus is so important! As summer nears, I know the desire to travel is present in many people, and it’s especially hard when the pandemic is present. But, I’m here to help with that! Today, I’ll be going through a rundown of the best COVID-19 vacation spots for a safe, responsible, and fun, summer vacation!
- Spain
¡Ole! Spain takes tenth place as one of the best vacation destinations to travel to during the coronavirus pandemic. Roughly 3.3 million people currently have COVID-19, and 76,000 people have died from it, in Spain. A major reason for the death toll is the country’s late response. The head of medical emergencies in Madrid, Dr. Fernando Simón even stated, “Spain will only have a handful of cases”, at the beginning of the pandemic. One of the worst-hit places from the pandemic in Spain is Madrid, the country’s capital. The city is a hub for culture, and you can see their world-famous football clubs, Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid, play a game up close!
- Germany
Germany, “the Land of Poets and Thinkers”, takes ninth place on this list. In Germany, there are 2.9 million reported cases of COVID-19, which are followed by roughly 78,000 deaths. At the beginning of the pandemic, Germany had many restrictions to help prevent COVID-19, which allowed them to maintain a low number of cases. But, as time went by, Germany began to get looser about its restrictions and made poor decisions, in terms of safety. Similar to Spain, the capital of Germany, Berlin, was the most affected city by the pandemic. In the North-Eastern german city, you can visit the Berlin Opera, an opera house where you can hear amazing authentic classical music!
- France
Taking huitième place in France! The European country has suffered from 4.9 million cases of COVID-19, as well as 98,000 deaths related to the virus. Although the country responded well to the virus by implementing COVID restrictions as early as possible, they still have very high cases. Even though not confirmed, many people believe that this surge of cases is due to the spread of the U.K’s COVID-19 variant. The prime minister of France has stated that almost half of the daily new cases were caused by the UK SARS-CoV-2 variant, VOC 202012/01. Île-de France, the north-central region of France, was affected the worst in the country. The area surrounds the city of Paris, a cultural hotspot, where you can visit the famed exhibit turned landmark, the Eiffel Tower.
- Russia
Wow! Russia takes seventh place making it an amazing place to go vacationing right now! In Russia, there 4.5 million reported cases of COVID-19, which are followed by roughly 100,000 deaths. These high numbers are due to Russia’s dismissal of COVID-19, and their focus on the economic aspects of the pandemic, rather than the pandemic itself. After implementing a two-month spring lockdown, the country reopened shortly after, allowing the disease to spread at a rapid speed. Moscow, Russia’s capital was the worst affected by COVID-19, within the country. The city is known as the major cultural hotspot of the country, even serving as the home for the Kremlin, the regal home to the president and tsarist treasures in the Armoury of Russia.
- Italy
Bene! Italy takes 6th place. The boot-shaped country has suffered from 3.7 million cases of COVID-19, as well as 78,000 deaths related to the virus. Although Italy is accredited with the discovery of the first official Covid-19 case, their country has faced many issues regarding COVID-19 and their government. The cause of such a high amount of cases is the government’s confusion and lack of understanding from the policymakers, leading to late precautions and/or failed precautions. The northern region of Lombardy is the worst affected by the virus in Italy. The capital of Lombardy, Milan, is a notable fashion city of the world, and you could even visit it during its famed Milan Fashion Week!
- U.K
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is one of the best COVID-19 travel destinations, taking 5th place! It is said by many that the U.K’s high death toll is the result of a dangerously late lockdown and the lack of seriousness regarding the pandemic from administrators. Boris Johnson, the prime minister, did not even decide to lock down the country until 285 people had passed away from the disease! Barnsley, a town in South Yorkshire, England, has been affected the worst by COVID-19 in the sovereign country. In Barnsley, you can visit the ruined medieval priory, the Monk Bretton Priory, and see the country’s beautiful architecture!
- India
India takes 4th place making it a top contender for travel during the current pandemic. In India, out of the 13 million people who contracted COVID-19, 167,000 people have died. Unlike other countries on this list, India’s government took safety precautions early on by enforcing a strong lockdown. Unfortunately, the message was very last minute, causing low-income citizens and farmers to find out about the precautions hours before they were enforced. This abruptness caused the citizens of India to not be prepared nor have the financial freedom of participating in these precautions by not working. The western state of Maharashtra has the most reported cases of COVID-19 throughout the country. Located within the state is the popular city of Mumbai, which serves as the capital of India, as well. In Mumbai, you can visit the home of the iconic multi-billion dollar, Hindi-film scene, Bollywood!
- Mexico
¡Magnifico! Mexico takes third place making it one of the top three places to travel to during the pandemic. In Mexico, there 2.2 million reported cases of COVID-19, which are followed by roughly 206,000 deaths. A factor in the spread of the virus was President Andres Manuel López Obrador’s late reaction to the virus. He was adamant to not close the borders nor the airports, and even claimed: “Mexico’s spirituality would protect the country against the virus”. The most affected place in Mexico by the virus in Mexico City, the capital of Mexico. Mexico City is home to the Templo Mayor, an incredible Aztec temple located in the city, that you can visit!
- Brazil
Nearing the end of this list, Brazil takes second place! Reportedly 13.3 million people became infected with the disease, and roughly 345,000 died from it in Brazil. Despite having such high numbers, there has unfortunately still not been a lockdown in Brazil! Brazil’s president even participated in anti-lockdown protests in response to some cities and states adopting their safety measures. He even called the virus, “a little flu”! The most infectious place in Brazil is Mato Grosso, the third-largest state of Brazil located in the West-Central region. A popular part of Mao Grosso is the Nobres. Nobres is a city within Mato Grosso, riddled with beautiful waterways and limestone caves that you can go adventuring through!
- United States
If you want to experience the ultimate vacation paradise, come visit the U.S or in most cases, stay where you are! Currently, the United States has 30.8 million cases of COVID-19 and has suffered 557,000 deaths related to the virus! Some may argue or believe that these cases are due to former President Donald Trump’s late initiative and ignorance when dealing with the pandemic. He even promoted hydroxychloroquine as a cure for the virus, even though it’s proven ineffective and dangerous. The United States’ most infected state is the western-coastal state of California. California is home to many notable attractions, however the most anticipated for many children worldwide is Disneyland, an entertainment resort, that you can visit with your family!
Works Cited:
By The Visual and Data Journalism Team. “Covid Map: Coronavirus Cases, Deaths, Vaccinations by Country.” BBC News, BBC News, 9 Apr. 2021, www.bbc.com/news/world-51235105. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
“Coronavirus Update (Live): 136,992,163 Cases and 2,954,038 Deaths from COVID-19 Virus Pandemic – Worldometer.” Worldometers.info, 2021, www.worldometers.info/coronavirus/. Accessed 12 Apr. 2021.
“The Countries Who’ve Handled COVID-19 the Best and Worst | MoveHub.” MoveHub, 31 July 2020, www.movehub.com/blog/best-and-worst-covid-responses/. Accessed 11 Apr. 2021.
