Mongolia has reopened its borders to fully vaccinated international travellers, scraping coronavirus curbs that had kept the country isolated for two years. The border reopening follows the easing of restrictions last month.

On Monday, Mongolian Government approved a resolution downgrading the pandemic “state of readiness” from orange to yellow, effectively lifting all restrictions on business operations. Official advisories on wearing face masks, social distancing and hand sanitising remain in place.

The nation has implemented some of the world’s toughest anti-Covid measures since the start of the pandemic, largely sealing off its borders and imposing several lockdowns. The curbs have battered its economy as businesses closed, exports plunged and hundreds of thousands faced precarious employment.