Manipur, June 30 -- The Maldives, a string of 1,196 islands scattered across the Indian Ocean, and heavily reliant on tourism, is getting ready to welcome visitors once again by easing border restrictions in a phased manner and establishing the necessary protocols to suit the new normal.

Work on protection, mitigation, and management of Covid-19 began as early as January this year when it was first reported. A National Coronavirus Taskforce was constituted by the President soon and an all-government effort was launched with multi-agency participation. The Health Protection Agency has been leading the effort with the support of the National Disaster Management Authority, in close consultation with the World Health Organization.

The count...