Vietnam News Today (Mar. 4): Foreign Tourists Can Travel Freely in Vietnam With Negative Covid-19 Tests

The 12th security co-operation conference between Vietnam and Laos. Photo:VNA

Vietnam, Laos bolster security co-operation

The 12th security co-operation conference between Vietnam and Laos was held in Vientiane on March 3, under the co-chair of Vietnamese Deputy Minister of Public Security Sen. Lieut. Gen. Luong Tam Quang and his Laotian counterpart Sen. Lieut. Gen. Kongthong Phongvichith.

The event is an annual forum for the security forces from both sides to reinforce their great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive co-operation. The conference is one of the activities held in celebration of the Vietnam – Laos and Laos - Vietnam Friendship and Solidarity Year 2022.

The function also gives a platform to outline co-operation orientations for the future as a contribution to stabilizing political security and social order and safety, thereby creating favorable conditions to carry out each country's tasks of building and defending the Fatherland. This is along with building a peaceful, stable, and developing ASEAN Community, the Lao security official said.

In response to this, Deputy Minister Quang expressed his hope that the two sides maintain effective and practical co-ordination, as well as holding periodic meetings between their security forces and border localities. This should occur alongside working to prevent hostile forces from taking advantage of one country or allowing them to undermine the political stability, security, and order of each country, or by sabotaging the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive co-operation that exists between Vietnam and Laos, according to VOV.

They consented to maintain the effective implementation of existing co-operation mechanisms between the two security forces, whilst simultaneously stepping up information sharing and co-ordination to address the impact of non-traditional security threats that may affect ties between, particularly of the two Ministries of Public Security.

The sides also pledged to boost closer co-ordination at international and regional security co-operation forums, promote collaboration in preventing and fighting international terrorism in ASEAN countries, and ensuring security for major events which are to be held in the two countries.

As part of the occasion, the two deputy ministers signed a Memorandum of Understanding of the 12th Vietnam - Laos Security Cooperation Conference.

Hanoi speeds up preparations for 31st SEA Games

Hanoi is speeding up all-round preparations for the 31st Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) as the event is only two and a half months away.The Games is scheduled to take place in Hanoi and some nearby localities from May 12 to 23. The capital city will provide 15 venues for 18 sports.

The venues are all existing facilities, including 12 managed by the district-level People’s Committees and five by the municipal Department of Culture and Sports. Upgrades to most of the venues are being carried out on schedule.

From February 7 to 10, the Hanoi People’s Committee and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism sent a team to examine the 20 competition and training sites. They demanded prompt moves to complete the upgrades by March 15 to gear up for the inspection by the Southeast Asian Games Federation on March 18 - 19.

Over the past years, the city’s administration has issued short- and long-term training plans to supply the best coaches and athletes for the national teams at the 31st SEA Games.

The gymnasium of Hanoi's Thanh Tri district is being upgraded to serve basketball matches of the 31st SEA Games. Photo: VNA

As of February 2022, Hanoi contributed 39 of the 134 coaches and 163 of the 588 athletes called in for the national teams of 22 sports.

It is striving to contribute to at least 30 percent of the Vietnamese officials, coaches, athletes, and referees, along with over 30 percent of the country’s gold medals, at the coming regional sports event, according to VNA.

Besides, the capital city has been working with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to arrange the opening and closing ceremonies as well as others activities serving the Games.

It has also been striving to ensure logistics, transport, tourism, healthcare, and ICT services; coordinating with the ministries of public security and transport to guarantee security, safety, and smooth traffic for sports teams; decorating streets; and encouraging local residents to help promote Hanoi as an attractive, safe, and friendly destination.

The 31st SEA Games, themed “For a stronger South East Asia”, will run in Hanoi and 11 neighboring localities. It will feature 40 sports with 526 events and expect to attract around 10,000 participants.

At the 30th SEA Games in 2019, Vietnam finished second in the overall medal tally, with 98 golds, 85 silvers and 105 bronzes, following hosts the Philippines.

Foreign tourists can travel freely in Vietnam with negative Covid-19 tests

With negative Covid-19 tests, fully vaccinated foreign tourists may freely travel in Vietnam after only one day of isolation following entry, according to the Ministry of Health’s proposed regulations.

This is part of the set of pandemic rules that the ministry sent to the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on the plan to reopen international tourism in the new normal, scheduled to start from March 15, 2022, after over two years of closures due to Covid-19.

The reopening of tourism activities under new normal should be based on the assessment of the Covid-19 outbreak level in each locality and area that is expected to provide accommodation, sightseeing and entertainment services for tourists, while at the same time, the locality needs to have a backup plan to respond to possible Covid-19 developments during the reopening process to guarantee absolute safety for tourists and the local community, the ministry noted.

Tourists from 12 years and older who want to enter Vietnam must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 with the last dose received at least 14 days but no more than six months before the date of entry – which is verified via vaccine passport forms that Vietnam has officially recognized, or other documents that were authenticated by relevant authorities in case those documents have been approved for direct use in Vietnam; or that they have recovered from Covid-19 within six months of the entry date – which is verified by documents showing proof of a positive RT-PCR test or recovery from Covid-19 or other equivalent documents.

High-risk people such as those aged 65 years or older, pregnant women, people with underlying medical conditions but not requiring monitoring and treatment at medical facilities, should limit travel until new recommendations and strictly comply with Covid-19 vaccination rules before entering Vietnam.

Tourists will need to have a negative RT-PCR/RT-LAMP test result within 72 hours of entry, approved by authorized authorities of the country where the tests were conducted.

Tourists will need to make medical declarations and are required to install the Vietnam Covid-19 app (PC-COVID) during their entire stay in the country.

At the border gates, tourists who show symptoms of suspected Covid-19 infections (coughing, fever, runny rose, sore throat, muscle aches, loss of taste and smell, etc.) should report to the health authorities at the border gate for appropriate health measures, reported VNS.

The 5K message must be strictly followed during the movement from the border gate to the place of accommodation, with limited stopping, parking along the road, and contact with the local community recommended. In special/emergency cases where a rest stop is needed, safety measures must be taken to prevent the possible spread of Covid-19.

In the first 24 hours after entry, tourists are required to remain at their place of accommodation and have a Covid-19 test.

In the first 72 hours after entry, tourists are recommended to not leave their place of accommodation, but if they want to leave, they will need to have a negative Covid-19 test result every day before going out (either rapid antigen tests or RT-PCR tests).

Foreign tourists visit the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Photo: Thanh Tung

If tourists do not travel outside of their place of accommodation within the first 72 hours after entry, they will only need to undergo two Covid-19 tests – one on the first day of entry, and another on the third day of entry. If results return negative both times, they can travel freely outside of their accommodation 72 hours after entry, but still need to self-monitor their health condition for the following seven days and comply with pandemic prevention measures.

Tourists under 12 years old may enter Vietnam along with their parents/relatives without the need for Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

If these children have either – been vaccinated against Covid-19 or once contracted Covid-19 – then they (except children younger than two years old) will follow the Covid-19 protocols and testing regulations just like for tourists aged 12 years and older.

Children who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated against Covid-19 or have never been infected with coronavirus must not go outside of their place of accommodation in the first 24 hours of entry. In the seven days afterwards, they would need to have a negative Covid-19 test every day before going outside of their accommodation.

Children under two years old don’t need to undergo Covid-19 tests and can partake in activities outside their place of accommodation along with their parents and relatives (eligible entrants), even though they are not vaccinated against Covid-19 or contracted the virus before.

Vietnam to receive seven million Covid-19 vaccine doses for children

The Ministry of Health is speeding up procedures aimed at completing its contract with Pfizer to purchase 21.9 million vaccine doses for children aged five to 11 in March.

As scheduled, a total of seven million vaccine doses for children aged five to 11 will arrive in the country during the first quarter of the year, with the remaining 14.9 million doses expected to be delivered ahead in the second quarter.

Vietnam will receive seven million Covid-19 vaccine doses for children in the first quarter of this year. Photo: VOV

The Ministry of Health has also updated its guidelines for using of Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, saying children aged five to 11 would receive the 10 mcg (0.2 ml) dosage, whilst children aged 12 and above would receive a 30 mcg (0.3 ml) dosage.

According to the statistics compiled by the Ministry of Health, about 490,000 local children were confirmed to have contracted the virus since the beginning of the pandemic, accounting for 19.3% of total Covid-19 patients confirmed in the country so far, cited VOV.

The number of children contracting Covid-19 is expected to rise significantly moving forward, meaning that ensuring the safety of children is an important task, especially for the unvaccinated.

Earlier, an online survey conducted by the Ministry of Health last month on whether or not parents would let children under 12 be vaccinated against Covid-19 showed that 81% agreed with the inoculation plan.

Ha Long Bay, Cu Chi Tunnels among ten adventurous tourism places in Southeast Asia

The travel magazine The Travel has listed Ha Long Bay in the northern coastal province of Quang Ninh and Cu Chi Tunnels in Ho Chi Minh City among the ten must-visit epic and adventurous places in Southeast Asia.

A view of Ha Long Bay. Photo: VNA

Ha Long Bay, which is situated in Northeast Vietnam, is regarded as one of the world's geographical beauties due to its green seas scattered with hundreds of limestone islets, each capped with its distinct tropical jungle, the magazine said.

Tourists may enjoy the destination by diving and snorkeling, renting a canoe, or simply relaxing on the upper deck of their boat tour with a beverage in hand, it added.

Meanwhile, the Cu Chi cave system, situated 60 km beyond Ho Chi Minh City, is a vast network of subterranean tunnels that stretches all distance towards the Cambodian frontier. The tunnels served as a way of communication among settlements. Furthermore, the tunnels were easily reachable from HCM City, with a one-and-a-half-hour trip, VNA reported.

According to The Travel, Southeast Asia boasts a rich tapestry of distinct cultures and faiths, and it is considered a favorite part of the globe because of its beautiful beaches, delectable cuisine, and low rates of tourism.

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