Following the detection of the first coronavirus (COVID-19) case in Bhutan, the Prime Minister during a press conference informed that government will impose two weeks restriction on incoming tourists from today. However, entry points along the border towns will remain open.
Both Drukair and Bhutan Airlines will be restricting all incoming tourists for 14 days and tourists coming from Phuentshogling will be restricted from the checkpoint at Rinchending.
“If we restrict incoming tourists to all border towns, we have to completely shut down businesses as well and this will lead to economic paralysis. So we have to take care of our own health. We are restricting tourists to come beyond Rinchending. However, we haven’t closed the entry gates at the borders for now,” said Dr Lotay Tshering, the Prime Minister.
He added that in case more people are infected at the border towns, then the government will close the border gates too.
When asked about the restriction of tourists before the detection of COVID-19, he said it would have left around 50,000 Bhutanese jobless.
“The moment we stop tourists coming in, around 50,000 people will be left without jobs and the government will have to deal with this problem. Restricting tourists beforehand would be like getting COVID-19 infections to these 50,000 people who will be without jobs. It’s true that if the virus found its way to the country through a tourist, then there will be health and economic issues, but stopping tourists altogether would be the same as that. These more than 50,000 people depending on tourism will be suffering worse than getting infected with this virus,” Lyonchhen added.
However, if the infection gets under control within two weeks, the Prime Minister said the government might lift the restriction for tourists.
Kinley Dem/Sangay Chezom
