TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) – Taiwan and the Pacific nation of Palau will launch a travel bubble next month that will allow people to travel between the islands without the COVID-19 quarantine. </ Palau is one of Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies after China lured other countries into refusing to recognize the self-governing island it regards as part of its own territory.
The travel bubble will be Taiwan’s first after it was largely closed to overseas travel in one of the world’s most successful campaigns against the coronavirus.
There have been no cases of COVID-19 in Palau, said Chen Shih-chung, head of the Taiwan Central Epidemic Command Center, on a Press conference announcing the bubble on Wednesday.
Travelers must take group tours and meet certain health requirements, but they do not need to be quarantined, according to Chen.
Travelers must not have been outside of the boundaries for six months, or under in the last two months Quarantined and not infected with the coronavirus in the past three months, Chen said. They must have a virus test and health monitoring before leaving Taiwan and after they return, especially during the first five days after their return.
The bladder begins with two flights a week between the two islands, with the first flight on April 1st is scheduled.
Taiwan has recorded approximately 990 cases of coronavirus infection, with 10 deaths from COVID-19. The island quickly took tough action after the first cases were discovered in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December 2019. It has strict border measures with a mandatory two-week quarantine for all travelers and has been closed for the most part to foreign travelers unless they work or live in Taiwan.
Much of the existing tourism from Palau to Taiwan is medical tourism, and Taiwan is a provider of virus testing and other medical supplies.
Current Palau travel policy is that newcomers are quarantined for 14 days if their place of origin is Location is high risk while allowing shorter quarantine for people who have traveled from locations where the virus has not been communicated.
Palau’s President Surangel Whipps Jr will be making an official visit to Taiwan on March 28th to promote the island’s tourism industry, although it will not be a formal state visit, Taiwan’s Foreign Minister Joseph W said u.
Ref: https://apnews.com
