Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 21): No new cases, thousands signed up for testing in hotspots
	Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 20): No new cases, provinces urged in fight against COVID-19
	Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 19): No new cases this morning, plans on resumption of in-person learning

Photo: VNA

9 cases to log in the last 24 hours

Eight cases of COVID-19 were recorded in the past 12 hours to 6 pm February 25, including seven locally-infected cases in the northern province of Hai Duong, according to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Meanwhile, on the morning of February 26, 1 imported case was reported in concentrated isolation in Tay Ninh.

Photo: VN Express

Vietnam considers reopening repatriation flights

The Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs is working with relevant ministries, sectors, localities, and offices to make plans to repatriate Vietnamese citizens in a safe manner based on the developments of the COVID-19 pandemic in the world and the country, especially the domestic quarantine capacity, according to Foreign Ministry spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang.

She made the statement on February 25 when responding to reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s plan to reopen repatriation flights, after the Vietnamese Government suspended flights bringing Vietnamese people back home in late January, given the appearance of new variants of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2, new outbreaks in many countries, and complicated developments of the pandemic in Vietnam.

She informed that recently, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc has directed relevant offices to discuss with partners in countries with high safety factors about the resumption of commercial flights. Several partners have expressed their wish to resume commercial flights with Vietnam, and Vietnam’s aviation agencies are considering and discussing specific procedures and dates, she added.

Photo: VN Express

No karaoke, bars, gyms as HCMC resumes non-essential services

HCMC will allow most non-essential services except bars, dance clubs, karaoke parlors, gyms, and pool table services to resume starting March 1. The decision was made Thursday by the city Vice-Chairman Duong Anh Duc after the southern metropolis went 14 days without any Covid-19 community transmission.

Under the latest decision, wedding centers, restaurants, movie theaters, and other places of recreation would reopen next Monday. Tourism activities, transportation, catering services, shopping centers, museums, historical relics, and libraries are also allowed to reopen but must ensure a minimum distance of one meter between two people. Catering establishments are banned from accommodating more than 30 people. City authorities have also allowed the organization of religious events but gatherings of more than 50 people at a time are banned.

Vietnam's largest city has shut down all non-essential services since Feb. after recording a series of community transmissions linked to a cluster at the Tan Son Nhat International Airport.

Photo: VN Express

Hanoi and Hai Phong allowed to buy Covid-19 vaccine

The Prime Minister agreed with the proposals of some localities such as Hanoi, Hai Phong ... on the purchase of the Covid-19 vaccine in a socialized method. Vaccination should be organized quickly, first for those in priority. On the afternoon of February 25, the Government Office announced the above direction of Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc.

Vietnam is expected to obtain 150 million Covid-19 vaccine doses from foreign and domestic sources by 2022, said the Ministry of Health. The vaccines would come from British-Swedish firm AstraZeneca, global vaccine access mechanism Covax, and other domestic producers. The reception schedule and number of doses received were reported by the National Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control to the government Wednesday.

Four indigenous vaccines are under development by Nanogen Pharmaceutical Biotechnology JSC, the Institute of Vaccines and Medical Biologicals, Vaccine and Biological Production Company No. 1, and the Center for Research and Production of Vaccines and Biologicals. Vietnam earlier said it was stepping up negotiations with the U.S.'s Pfizer and Moderna, along with other vaccine manufacturers in Russia and some other countries to ensure it can get a total of 150 million doses to cover 70 percent of its 98-million population this year.

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 25): COVID-19 under sound control nationwide: Health Minister COVID-19 has been brought under good control nationwide, according to Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long.

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 24): 8 new cases confirmed in the last 24 hours Six more COVID-19 cases were reported in the past 12 hours to 6 pm February 23 with five in Hai Duong and one in Quang ...

Vietnam COVID-19 Updates (Feb 23): Only 3 new cases this morning in quarantined area Three more Covid-19 patients were confirmed in the northern province of Hai Duong Tuesday morning, raising its community infections to 620 in less than a ...