Iceland Is the Perfect Coronavirus Refuge
A nasal swab is a small price to pay to visit a country that had a pandemic plan ready and stuck to it.
Reopening on May 18 for 50 lucky swimmers at a time.
Photographer: Halldor Kolbeins/AFP via Getty Images
The world’s tourism hot spots are gradually reopening after the great lockdown, but they don’t look very alluring. Going to the beach will require spacing out parasols and forgetting about the drinks service, while a city break in Europe might mean keeping a mask on while shopping. Not to mention the quarantines being imposed to limit imported infections, hardly a great way to start a vacation. Public health has become a huge factor in tourism: “Covid-free” is the new five-star rating.
If there’s one destination in particular that might turn into an ideal getaway from Covid-19, it’s Iceland. The tiny island nation — population 360,000 — has long been known for its stunning landscapes, views of the Northern Lights, lava caves and other vistas featured in shows like Game of Thrones. Recently it has gained plaudits as a coronavirus case study, having kept its outbreak under control without imposing a messy or draconian lockdown. And it may very well show the way for countries trying to strike a balance between wooing visitors and avoiding a flare-up in cases.