Vietnam News Today (July 10): Vietnam Reports Highest Daily Rise in Infections With 1,616 Cases
	Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh city impose drastic anti-pandemic measures
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Barbers work on a sidewalk of Hanoi. Photo: VNE

Hanoi will close down all non-essential services, including in-door activities at restaurants, cafes, barbershops starting July 13. Takeaways are still allowed, said Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, on Monday.

Physical exercise, large gatherings at public places such as parks and gardens flower beds will also be suspended, he added. Violators will face hefty punishments.

Returnees to Hanoi from HCMC and other pandemic-hit localities must make health declarations and undergo the mandatory 14-day self-isolation at home. They must have papers proving they tested negative for the coronavirus at most three days before entry. Those displaying Covid symptoms, such as fever, coughing, sore through, breathing difficulty, or loss of taste, must notify the nearest medical facility for timely responses.

City police are deploying more checking points at major gateways, crossings, shortcuts, inland waterways, inter-provincial bus stations, to keep track of all commuters. Functional forces will check and screen all people entering Hanoi from other cities and provinces.

According to the city authorities, some citizens and businesses have been neglecting coronavirus preventive measures. Physical exercise, large gatherings in the open, food and beverage establishments, which are against regulations, still scatter the city.

Restaurants were re-opened since June 22 following days of no local infections. Photo: Vietnamnet.

Barbershops and dining places have been re-opening since June 22 following days of no local infections reported. The city required restaurants to ensure social distancing between customers and have dividers between seats. Establishments couldn not fill more than 50% of their seating capacity and had to less than 20 people in a venue at a time. They also had to close before 9 p.m. every day. Bar, pubs, and draught beer venues were only allowed to sell takeaways.

As more new infections are documented in the city, these establishments will, again, come to a halt.

Hanoi has recorded over 6,300 people going back from HCMC since June 23. Screening of the returnees in the past two days detected 18 Covid-19 patients. Its tally in the fourth wave has reached 530.

Photo: Tuoi Tre

City leaders have earlier imposed a suspension of mass transport (all buses, taxis, contract, tourist, and fixed-route buses) from Hanoi to 14 cities and provinces and vice versa starting July 8. The latest move is to address the rising coronavirus concerns as new infections are emerging in the capital.

The 14 localities on the ban list are Ho Chi Minh City, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Khanh Hoa, Phu Yen, Dak Lak, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, Da Nang, Thua Thien - Hue, Ha Tinh, Nghe An, Thanh Hoa, Ha Nam.

Bus routes still allowed to operate must follow preventive measures, including the strict control of passengers at checking points.

“This is an important time. There’s no room for negligence,” said Chu Xuan Dung, deputy chairman of Hanoi People’s Committee last week.

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