BANGKOK -
The landlocked Southeast Asian nation of Laos reopened to vacationers and different guests on Monday, greater than two years after it imposed tight restrictions to combat the coronavirus.
Thipphakone Chanthavongsa, head of the federal government's company for controlling COVID-19, introduced on Saturday the reopening date, the final in a three-phase plan, state information company KPL reported. She mentioned vaccination certificates or virus exams will nonetheless be required for Lao residents and foreigners getting into the nation.
Travellers 12 years of age or older with out vaccination certificates should be capable of present damaging ATK exams taken inside 48 hours of departure for Laos.
As a part of the easing of restrictions, leisure venues together with karaoke parlors will be capable of reopen, however should adjust to COVID-19 management rules. All border crossings had been reopened.
The nation hosted a report 4.79 million international guests in 2019 earlier than the pandemic started. The quantity fell to 886,400 in 2020, the newest 12 months for which statistics can be found.
The web site of the state-controlled Vientiane Occasions newspaper quoted Deputy Well being Minister Snong Thongsna as saying the choice to reopen the nation was based mostly on the falling variety of COVID-19 circumstances in Laos and worldwide. It mentioned the typical variety of new infections reported every day has declined from nearly 2,000 in February and March to lower than 200 now.
Laos, with an estimated 7.7 million folks, is one in every of Asia's poorest nations. It has had 208,535 confirmed coronavirus circumstances, together with 749 deaths, because the pandemic started, in keeping with the well being ministry.
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