Across the Asia-Pacific, where several countries have witnessed alarming new Covid-19 outbreaks in recent weeks and governments have been forced to reimpose harsh anti-virus restrictions, people are gazing in envy at those on the other side of the globe.
In the United States, fully vaccinated Americans - nearly half the population - are revelling in their newfound freedom. They are hopping onto planes, cramming into stadiums, flocking to malls and hosting celebratory parties to send off a miserable year of having been forced to stay apart. Best of all, they are casting off their masks.
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