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Saudi Arabia’s Peaking Virus Cases Aren’t Slowing Its Reopening

  • Authorities push ahead with plan to reopen despite case spike
  • Economic motivation is strong with oil-induced double crisis
People sit at a cafe in a mall in the Saudi capital Riyadh on June 4.

People sit at a cafe in a mall in the Saudi capital Riyadh on June 4.

Photographer: Fayez Nureldine/AFP via Getty Images

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The sweltering afternoon in central Riyadh feels much like any other, as traffic snarls past a McDonald’s and men huddle for a smoke outside an office. But the bright red letters on a Health Ministry billboard point to a different reality: “We fear for you!” it warns.

Like the rest of the world, Saudi Arabia is trying to balance public health concerns with economic imperatives. But unlike many countries facing higher case counts after reopening their economies, the kingdom is pushing ahead with normalization just as infections hit all-time highs.