I believe the UK has seen that even though new cases are still happening, they are having small hospitalization rates, and very few deaths. This has been linked to vacination rates.
So their reopening is not done a whim. They are going the Singapore route, and planning on living with the virus, with decisions based on data.
If this proves to work, other countries will follow suite hopefully. If it doesn't work, our industry is in a world of trouble.
Because Australia has not had a virus problem due to self isolating the whole island, it's access to vacine was lower, with other countries being given the priority. This seems to have passed, and vacination rates are on the improve. The PM stating that all Australians that want the vaccine should have access to it by end of year. The problem with this policy is that, for most Australians, the whole virus thing has been a non event, and they don't see why they need the jab.
The PM has stated that to move to phase two, a certain percentage of the population needs to be jabbed (the exact percentage is
TBD, great leadership there). So until the Facebook and YouTube educated masses get off their butts and get jabbed nothing is going to change. Unemployment is low. Economy is growing, they see no need to change. Hence no real timeline given to opening etc.
Europe and the UK opening to travel this summer is a good barometer of how things will proceed for the world. If this does not cause any major spike in hospitalization and deaths, othe nations will eventually follow.
It is a shame that nations have not worked together with one plan United to get the world out of this situation. But we deal with what we have. For the sake of those on LWOP and those made redundant, I hope it works out soon.