Covid-19 Situation in Vietnam | Latest Update

Covid-19 Situation in Vietnam (Latest Update 14th September) 
As of September 14, 2021, Vietnam’s Ministry of Health confirmed a total of 624,547 cases of COVID-19. However, 385,778 of the affected patients have recovered and been discharged from hospitals. Vietnam has also recorded 15,660 deaths due to the pandemic. The latest community transmission cases have been reported from Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, and Tien Giang among others.

September 14

Ho Chi Minh City authorities extended social distancing guidelines under Directive 16 until September 30, however it plans to allow shippers to operate inter-district from September 16 to help in the delivery of food and essential goods.

September 13

Authorities in Ba Ria-Vung Tau relaxed some restrictions and reopened traditional markets in green zones and areas where Directive 15 is applied such as Chau Duc, Dat Do, Xuyen Moc, and Con Dao districts. Authorities plan further easing of restrictions from September 15 such as opening up businesses in essential businesses followed by semi-essential and non-essential goods.

September 12

From September 12, Hanoi is pushing to vaccinate adults from 18 years old. About 80% of the city’s 5.7 million adults have received at least one shot, with authorities aiming for 100% by the end of this week.

September 9

Ho Chi Minh City authorities allowed the resumption of take-away and food delivery from restaurants and eateries between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm from September 9 within each district. Eateries can only use online delivery services. The city has also allowed supermarkets, grocery stores, and pharmacies to open from 6:00 am to 9:00 pm.

Vietnam’s Immigration Department has announced another automatic stay extension for foreigners stranded in Vietnam due to the pandemic until September 30, 2021. The measure applies to those who entered since March 1, 2020, allowing them to leave the country without any penalty or official procedures. Those that have entered prior to March 1, 2020, are also eligible provided they show documents by their embassies or by Vietnamese authorities to confirm they were quarantined or treated for COVID-19.
Vietnam received 331,000 of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine from Belgium on September 8.

September 8

Restaurants, coffee shops, and roadside eateries in Hoi An were allowed to reopen on September 6 but with 50 percent of customers and pandemic-related health protocols. Hoi An began less restrictive social distancing measures under Directive 19 from September 6.
September 7

Ho Chi Minh City authorities extended the strict ‘shelter-in-place lockdown restrictions until September 15. Residents in low-risk areas or ‘green zones’ would be allowed to go to the market and some takeout services once a week, though details of this are yet to be provided.
September 6

Hanoi continued strict lockdown measures in 10 districts from September 6 while partly imposing it in five others which are considered high-risk for 15 days. Zone 1 or red zone requires people to stay where they are and includes Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Thanh Xuan, Ha Dong, Thanh Tri, and Hoang Mai. Zone 2, which comprises five districts – Long Bien, Gia Lam, Dong Anh, Soc Son, and Me Linh, will be under Directive 15.
Da Nang eased restrictions from September 5 and reopened traditional markets, take away restaurants and food joints in green zones.

Vietnam Retristations (Source: Vietnamvisa):

– Vietnam’s Immigration Department announced automatic visa extensions until September 30, 2021, for foreigners that entered the country on visa waiver programmes, e-visas, or tourist visas since March 1. The measure applies to those who entered Vietnam since March 1, allowing them to leave the country without any penalty or paperwork until September 30, 2021.
– Vietnam aviation authorities have requested local airlines to stop selling tickets for domestic flights until further notice due to the pandemic.
– Vietnam has cut the centralized quarantine period for fully vaccinated foreign arrivals to 7 days from the previous 14. Arrivals must also test negative for the virus within 72 hours before arrival and would then be required to self-monitor for another 7 days after the quarantine period. In addition, those infected with COVID-19 and have certificates that they have recovered from the virus within six months would also have their quarantine period reduced. The government is yet to provide further details and dates for implementation.
– Ho Chi Minh City authorities extended social distancing measures under the strict ‘shelter-in-place lockdown measures until September 15. Under Directive 16 all non-essential businesses are services are banned while public transport including buses and taxis are suspended. The gathering of more than two people is banned and people are required to stay at home unless for food, medicine, or emergencies.
– Most localities require COVID-19 tests to enter and exit along with centralized quarantine for 14 days.
Bamboo Airways, Vietjet Air, and Pacific Airlines suspended most of their regular flight schedules from July 26 due to low demand and social distancing measures in several localities. Vietnam Airlines has reduced operations on the Hanoi-Ho Chi Minh City route to just two flights per day.

Covid-19 Vaccinations in Vietnam (Source: Reuters)
Vietnam is speeding up its vaccination program in an effort to loosen coronavirus lockdown restrictions in major cities by the end of the month.
Until now, Vietnam has administered at least 29,280,307 doses of COVID vaccines so far. Assuming every person needs 2 doses, that’s enough to have vaccinated about 15.2% of the country’s population.
During the last week reported, Vietnam averaged about 700,122 doses administered each day. At that rate, it will take a further 28 days to administer enough doses for another 10% of the population.

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Vietnam Ready Opens Phu Quoc For Vaccinated Tourists from October

Vietnam has decided to open its tourism island of Phu Quoc for vaccinated visitors from October for a six-month-long pilot.

The tourists must arrive from select countries, be fully vaccinated, get a pre-departure PCR-RT test, and buy a package from a tour operator. International visitors are not allowed to roam freely.

Here’s an excerpt from the Vietnam Plus:
Under the tourism sector’s plan, Phu Quoc will receive tourists for six months in two phases on a trial basis, starting from October. In the first phase, lasting three months, the island is expected to welcome 3,000-5,000 international visitors per month via charter flights, with visitors’ activities limited to certain sites.

Depending on the outcome of the first phase, the pilot programme expect to welcome 5,000-10,000 passengers per month on commercial flights, and the sites opened to foreign visitors might be extended

Requirements for visitor:

Under the plan, visitors from countries with high safety in COVID-19 prevention and control in regions such as Northeast Asia, Europe, the US, the Middle East, and Australia will need to book package tours of travel agencies if they want to go to Phu Quoc.

To enter the country, visitors must meet certain requirements including a certificate of full vaccination or recovery from COVID-19 not more than 12 months from the date of their release from the hospital to the date of entry. They also have to present a negative COVID-19 testing certificate issued by authorised agencies within 72 hours before departure.

Visitors are also required to install the Vietnam Safe Travel or the Healthy Vietnam apps and make a medical declaration through those apps. In case visitors do not meet all the necessary requirements, they may be denied entry and bear the cost of returning to their home country or transit.

Visitors have to travel on their designated cars in line with the approved schedule. Service staff, drivers, guides and tourists are required to wear masks throughout the journey.

Requirements for Travel suppliers:
Under the pilot plan, tour operators have to work out specific plans to receive and manage tourist groups to ensure Covid safety, offer quality services, and strictly comply with financial and tax obligations, among others.

All the people involved in the receiving of tourists must be fully vaccinated, with the second dose taken at least 14 days before welcoming the tourists. They also have to join Covid-safe training courses organized by the provincial centers for disease control.

Aside from having an international travel business license, tour operators need to meet requirements such as having been operational for three years or more and having received at least 30,000 foreign visitors to Vietnam annually.

Their tourism markets also have to be aligned with those selected by the local tourism authority for the pilot program.

As for lodging facilities, they have to be three- to five-star ones and have separate accommodation zones for international tourists to ensure the medical supervision of foreign tourists will not affect other guests. They have to set up quarantine zones and separate rooms to collect samples for Covid testing.

Units transporting foreign travelers have to meet Covid-safe requirements and offer good services.

According to the tourism ministry, many ministries and agencies will join the implementation of this pilot program.

The Ministry of Health will provide Covid vaccines and launch a mass vaccination drive for residents and employees in Phu Quoc. They plan at least 70% of the population and workers in the area opened for tourists must be vaccinated The national health authority is responsible for regulating vaccination certificates and procedures to collect samples from foreign visitors for testing, issuing guidelines to receive the tourists, and helping address the problems that may arise during the pilot program.
Source: Saigontimes

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