Easier cross-border movement in countries within travel bubbles

Countries which have been relatively successful in taming the coronavirus have, as early as May, sought to establish travel bubbles or air bridges with other nations. These travel bubbles let residents in countries which have low infection rates travel between them without having to undergo strict on-arrival quarantine. Here are some of the agreements:

Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia were the first in the world to create a travel bubble with one another on May 15. Citizens and residents can travel freely between these countries, but anybody entering from outside would have to self-isolate for 14 days. As of yesterday, Lithuania has 1,947 total cases; Latvia, 1,192 and Estonia, 2,021.

Since the end of last month, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Spain and Switzerland have fully opened their borders to tourists from the European Union, Britain and the Schengen Area. On June 30, the European Commission lifted the travel ban on 15 countries outside the bloc, such as Canada, Japan, South Korea and China.

But a resurgence in virus cases around the world has forced many European countries to re-evaluate on their own who to open their borders to.

India last week expanded bilateral bubbles with France, Germany and the United States. The limited arrangement allows select airlines to operate a fixed number of flights each week from last Friday to Aug 1. Negotiations for a similar arrangement with Britain are said to be at an advanced stage.

This month, India established a limited air bubble with the United Arab Emirates, under which charter flights operated by UAE carriers would fly Indian citizens back to India from the Gulf state and bring UAE residents to the Gulf state between July 12 and 26. International passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23.

China and South Korea opened a tightly controlled air corridor between selected cities in the two countries, including Shanghai and Seoul. Travellers are required to undergo a two-day quarantine and then a blood test upon arrival in China. They also have to undergo a coronavirus test before flying.

There have been discussions to rope in Hong Kong and Macau.

As early as March, Australia and New Zealand floated the idea of a Trans-Tasman travel bubble between the two Australasia countries. But leaders from both countries have yet to reach an agreement as negotiations have been set back by a second wave of outbreak in Australia's Victoria state.

Other travel bubbles being considered in the region include Taiwan-South Korea, Indonesia with China, South Korea, Japan and Australia, and Thailand-Hong Kong.