Even as the entire Europe and the United States are in the grip of a fresh wave of Corona virus, more than one crore, that is 10 million Americans travelled by air on Dec 23, that is on the eve of Christmas holidays. This was the highest figure since March last. It even surpassed the number of people who travelled on the eve of Thanksgiving Day holiday on November 26.
The United States witnessed a sharp rise in the number of deaths due to COVID-19 after Thanksgiving Day. The authorities had then too warned the people to avoid travelling.
On the Christmas eve too, the authorities issued warning but it seems to have little impact on the people.
In contrast, in Europe especially in the UK, Christmas was celebrated under the shadow of strict restrictions though the authorities relaxed some of the orders on the movement at the border on the eve of the festival. Yet the country remained almost cut-off from the world. In Germany the famous Christmas markets were forced to close.
Meanwhile Pope Francis appealed to the people of the world to fight the pandemic as one nation. In his Christmas message through video-conferencing, he said, “At this moment in history, marked by the ecological crisis and grave economic and social imbalances only worsened by the coronavirus pandemic, it is all the more important for us to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters.” He chose to address virtually to prevent the gathering at St. Peter’s Square.
