Taiwan welcomes back visitors after ending Covid quarantine rules

A mascot and an official (centre left) welcome a group of passengers from Thailand at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan on Oct 13, 2022, after Taiwan reopened its borders by ending mandatory Covid quarantine for arrivals. - AFP

TAOYUAN, Taiwan (Reuters):Taiwan began welcoming back visitors on Thursday (Oct 13) after finally ending mandatory quarantines to control the spread of Covid-19, with gifts of cuddly toy black bears for the first tour group that stepped off the plane shortly after midnight.

Taiwan had kept some of its entry and quarantine rules in place as large parts of the rest of Asia relaxed or lifted them completely, although in June it cut the number of days required in isolation for arrivals to three from seven previously.