After Ho Chi Minh City reopened and lifted strict social distancing restrictions on October 1, workers from neighboring cities and provinces are anticipating to return to their workplaces, as well as city folks going back to their hometowns.
Foreseeing an “exodus”, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health issued guidelines on COVID-19 testing and isolation for those who are crossing from one city to another.
1. Applied to individuals who travel from very high risk, high-risk zones to equivalent or lower risk zones
Fully vaccinated people or those who have recovered from COVID-19 shall be required to:
- Undergo RT-PCR testing or antigen rapid testing within 72 hours before departure.
- Self-monitor their health at home or place of residence for seven days and test for COVID-19 on the 2nd and 7th day after the date of arrival.
Those who are not vaccinated or have taken the first COVID-19 vaccine jab shall:
- Undergo RT-PCR testing or antigen rapid testing within 72 hours before departure.
- Be considered to isolate at home or place of residence or at designated quarantine sites upon arrival and undergo antigen rapid testing every 2-3 days or RT-PCR testing every 5-7 days within two weeks from the date of arrival.
2. Applied to individuals traveling from risky zones to zones of equivalent risk or new-normal areas
Fully vaccinated people or those who have recovered from COVID-19 shall be required to:
- Minimize contact with others and self-monitor their health at home or place of residence for 14 days after the date of arrival.
- Immediately inform local health authorities if experiencing such symptoms as fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell.
Those who are not vaccinated or have taken the first COVID-19 vaccine jab shall:
- Isolate at home or place of residence for seven days since the date of arrival and continue minimizing contacts and self-monitoring their health in the following 14 days.
- Undergo RT-PCR testing or antigen rapid testing on the 1st and 7th day after the date of arrival.
- Immediately inform local health authorities if experiencing such symptoms as fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell.
3. Applied to individuals traveling from low-risk to higher risk zones
Depending on the epidemiological and pandemic situation, the local Department of Health shall issue instructions for medical surveillance, quarantine and testing.
All travelers are required to strictly follow the ministry’s 5K message: Khau trang (face mask)-khu khuan (disinfection)-khoang cach (distance)- khong tu tap (no gathering)-khai bao y te (health declaration).
HCMC wants to resume flights
To facilitate aviation and tourism recovery, Ho Chi Minh City is among the five localities that may soon resume domestic flights — including the provinces of Khanh Hoa, Binh Dinh, Phu Yen, and Dien Bien.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam (CAAV) reached out to 20 provinces and cities that have airports with regards to gradually restarting flights from Tuesday. So far, only five have responded and agreed to CAAV’s proposal.
The cities of Hanoi and Hai Phong and the province of Gia Lai in the Central Highlands have called for delaying the resumption.
With HCMC’s participation, the CAAV has suggested operating 132 flights daily to the country’s major commercial hub, 20 to Khanh Hoa, seven to Phu Yen, 11 to Binh Dinh, and two to Dien Bien. Additionally, HCMC officials want flights to Hanoi resumed.
Today’s COVID-19 cases
The Ministry of Health confirmed 4,360 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, the lowest in 78 days. Vietnam's national patient tally is now at 818,324.
HCMC accounted for 1,491 cases, Binh Duong and Dong Nai followed with 1,107 and 653 cases, respectively.
The MoH also reported 25,573 new recoveries, bringing the total number of recovered cases to 741,874.
Further 134 fatalities were recorded in the past 24 hours, taking the death toll to 19,979 or 2.4% of the total number of infections.
As of latest, Vietnam has vaccinated 47 million people with at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot. Over 11 million have been fully vaccinated with two doses.