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On February 16 afternoon, the Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control issued Covid-19 quarantine protocols for people coming to the city from the epidemic-hit areas after Tet break. Specifically as followed:

- People having close contact with Covid-19 patients: concentratedly quarantine for 14 days (from the last day of contact with the patients). Go through four Covid-19 testings on the 1^st, 5^th, 10^th and 14^th day.

- People coming from the localities where are under social distancing: concentratedly quarantine for 14 days (from the day of leaving the localities). Go through four Covid-19 testings on the 1^st, 5^th, 10^th and 14^th day.

Medical workers take samples of passengers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport for Covid-19 testing. Photo: Zing News.

The localities where are implementing social distancing under the Government's Directive 16 including Ha Long City and Dong Trieu town of Quang Ninh province from January 29 to February 21; Hai Duong (15 days starting February 16). People who had arrived in the Cam Giang district (Hai Duong) from December 15 to January 31 do not have to concentratedly isolate but need to monitor their health, according to Zing News.

- People who had arrived in the outbreaks (but not in close contact) or places announced by the Ministry of Health (but not in the socially isolated areas): quarantine at home for 14 days.

- People who had arrived in the outbreaks or places announced by the Ministry of Health but had made health declarations for 14 days: self-monitor health.

In addition, HCDC will randomly take samples of passengers at airports, stations, bus stations, industrial parks, schools, etc. Specifically as followed:

- At Tan Son Nhat airport: randomly take samples of 10-20% of passengers coming from high-risk provinces and cities.

- At Saigon station: Each day, take 100 samples of passengers from at-risk provinces and cities

- At the bus station of District 12, the old and new Mien Dong bus station: Take 100 samples/day/ location.

Based on the epidemic situation in localities and Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control will adjust the number of samples at locations.

11 pandemic-hit areas announced by Ho Chi Minh City Center for Disease Control.

Ho Chi Minh CDC said that after the Tet break, there will be a large number of people returning to the city. Therefore, the risk of the Covid-19 outbreak is very high.

The city has taken 40,000 samples for testing and the results have returned negative.

Deputy Minister of Health Nguyen Truong Son said that the Covid-19 situation in the city has basically put under control.

The city's biggest Covid-19 outbreak stems from the baggage handlers at Tan Son Nhat International Airport. As of February 17, the southern metropolis had recorded 36 Covid-19 cases.

Vietnam has recorded as many as 719 locally transmitted Covid-19 cases since community transmissions reemerged in the nation on January 28 after 55 consecutive clean days.

Vietnam's total Covid-19 infection tally is now 2,311 with 699 active cases. Around 128,000 are in quarantine nationwide, either in hospitals, quarantine zones, or at home.

At least 28 localities in Vietnam allowed students to stay home after the Tet break which wrapped up on February 16 amid the complicated development of the pandemic. Schools had been scheduled to resume on February 17.

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