Despite the blow COVID-19 has dealt Taiwan’s tourism industry, popular tourist sites in the southern city of Tainan remain open to visitors. Local authorities are taking precautionary measures to keep visitors safe. They’re also working to make sure they can easily track who visited what site when—just in case any visitors do get sick.
Once served as Taiwan’s capital, Tainan is home to many historical sites. With COVID-19 in the air, though, visitors to the places must have their temperature taken and disinfect their hands before being allowed inside. Starting April 1, they must also fill out a form with their personal information. This way, if someone recently sightseeing in town gets sick, health authorities can determine who else may have been near them at the time.
Some visitors find the new policy troublesome, but they are more than willing to comply for the sake of stopping COVID-19.
Outdoor sites are taking precautions, too. Tainan’s Mei Ling Scenic Area is a popular spot for watching fireflies around this time of year. But this year, the number of visitors is being limited. People hoping to visit must register online ahead of time. Visiting times are being restricted, with visitors assigned a time slot. The hope is that limiting visitor numbers will lower the risk that the scenic area could become a site for the transmission of COVID-19.