The Middle East is fighting a second wave of covid-19
Countries that thought they beat the coronavirus discover they have not
ACROSS THE Middle East months of closures are giving way to an almost carefree normal. Bars and restaurants in Tel Aviv are packed, with barely a nod to social distancing. Shisha cafés in Jordan’s capital, Amman, among the first businesses shut in March because of their perceived health risks, are full of patrons puffing away. Mask-wearing in Beirut has noticeably dropped since the government imposed a $33 fine for going barefaced. From Tehran to Tunis, many people seem to have declared the covid-19 pandemic finished.
This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “An unwanted guest returns”
From the June 13th 2020 edition
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