A health worker prepares a Covid-19 vaccine shot in HCMC's District 1, October 27, 2021. Photo: VnExpress

Vietnam records 4,876 new local Covid cases

Vietnam recorded 4,876 more local Covid-19 cases on Thursday, with surging numbers in Dong Nai and Ha Giang Provinces, pushing the infection tally in the new wave to 900,670.

The three localities with the highest numbers of new infections were Ho Chi Minh City with 1,069 cases, and its neighbors Dong Nai with 745 cases and Binh Duong with 618 cases, cited VnExpress.

Dong Nai's tally is its highest in three weeks, while the northern highlands province of Ha Giang recorded 184 new cases, its highest daily number ever.

54 deaths were added to the national database on Thursday, with 25 cases in Ho Chi Minh City, six in Binh Duong, four each in Tien Giang, Long An and Tay Ninh, three in Dong Nai, two in Soc Trang and one each in Kien Giang, Can Tho, Dak Lak, Bac Lieu, An Giang and Ninh Thuan.

The total numbers of Covid-19 deaths so far is 21,910 cases, or around 2.5 percent of all infections.

1,649 Covid-19 patients were announced recovered on Thursday, bringing the total number of recovered cases so far to 813,963.

Vietnam has vaccinated 54.5 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shots so far. Around 22.6 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Vietnam ready to welcome sport teams to SEA Games 31 in mid-May 2022

Vietnam is ready to welcome sport teams from 11 regional countries to the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in mid-May, 2022, said Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Hoang Dao Cuong.

Speaking at the sixth ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Sports (AMMS-6) that was held virtually on October 28, Cuong said after nearly five months of hiatus caused by Covid-19 pandemic, preparations for the tournament are being accelerated in the spirit of ensuring the best possible facilities and the absolute safety of participants at the event, reported VNA.

At the event. Photo: VNA

Discussions at the event focused on sport cooperation programs in the region for 2021-2025, towards building a dynamic ASEAN Community where all sports are fully developed.

Delegates also looked into sports’ contributions to peace and development, how to promote healthy lifestyle via engaging in sport and physical activities, as well as develop professionalism and integrity in sports and sport science.

The meeting adopted the AMMS-6’s report and agreed to issue a joint statement and submit several documents to the 40th ASEAN Summit. The documents include the ASEAN Plan of Action on Sport for the 2021-2025 period, the 2021-2022 ASEAN-FIFA cooperation plan, the Memorandum of Understanding between ASEAN and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and a joint statement of ASEAN sport ministers on creating a solid foundation for ASEAN athletes at SEA Games towards Asian Games and Olympic Games.

HCMC vaccinates 40,000 children against Covid

HCMC has vaccinated 39,756 children aged 12-17 with the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine as of Thursday noon.

Cu Chi and District 1 Wednesday became the first districts in the city to begin vaccinating children against Covid-19, administering the first shots to 1,428 and 260 students, respectively.

All districts in the city and the newly established city within the city, Thu Duc, have administered the vaccine to around 40,000 children so far.

A girl receives a Covid-19 vaccine shot in HCMC's District 1, October 27, 2021. Photo: VnExpress

"No severe side effects were recorded. Mild side effects were effectively handled," said Nguyen Thi Huynh Mai, office head of the HCMC Department of Health.

The Covid-19 vaccination campaign for children aged 12-17 began Wednesday, with those aged 16-17 being prioritized before moving downwards through different age groups. The city aims to give all the children their first shots within seven days and another week for administering the second shots after a gap of three to six weeks.

Around 780,000 students will be vaccinated in the city, according to the municipal education department. More Pfizer vaccine doses would be distributed depending on how the vaccination proceeds, according to VnExpress.

HCMC has vaccinated around 7.2 million people with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot so far; and 5.7 million people have been fully vaccinated.

Vietnam plans to start the national children vaccination campaign in November.

No seven-day quarantine planned for foreign tourists with negative Covid tests

Foreign visitors to Phu Quoc, Khanh Hoa, Quang Nam, Da Nang and Quang Ninh – localities selected in a pilot reopening program – will not have to quarantine from next month as long as they test negative for SARS-CoV-2.

They will also need to book a combo of air tickets, Covid-19 testing, hotel and registered destinations.

According to a proposal by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on a pilot program for foreign tourists beginning in November, those visiting Vietnam for seven days will be tested as soon as they arrive. If negative, they could avoid a quarantine period.

However, they have to commit to staying with their group, not leaving arranged locations and minimizing contact with people from other tour groups, cited VNA.

Photo: VNA

People on tours lasting more than seven days will be tested again on the 7th day of their trip. They are allowed to visit destinations that are open to foreign tourists under the pilot program, with the full combo booked in advance.

Under the pilot program for foreign tourists, they could spend a maximum of 90 days in Vietnam.

If tourists want to visit locations that are not included in the pilot program, they have to register with tourism agencies, informing authorities in the host localities for health monitoring and quarantine.

Under the ministry’s proposal, foreigners and overseas Vietnamese have to have a vaccination certificate or Covid-19 recovery certificate recognized by Vietnam’s authorities.

Before entering Vietnam, they must have received a second dose of a Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 days and no longer than 12 months before arrival. Covid-19 recovery certificates within 12 months before entry are accepted.

Travelers are also required to have a certificate proving they are negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR/RT-LAMP within 72 hours prior to departure. They must have travel insurance that covers Covid-19 with a minimum liability of US$50,000, and must purchase a tour package from a travel agency.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is temporarily recognizing 'vaccine passports' of 72 countries and territories, and is in discussions with nearly 80 others on mutual recognition for the 'vaccine passport'.

These measures will help Vietnam reopen international tourism activities, contributing to promoting related economic sectors and fields.

Vietnam plans to welcome international visitors from November this year. The first phase starts from next month only for those using combo packages and visits several select destinations.

Safe travel opens opportunity for tourism recovery

Many localities across the country have started to pilot a “travel bubble” model aimed at welcoming the return of tourists and accelerating travel recovery plans following a hiatus caused by the negative impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Travel firms have initiated schemes to bring tourists back to ‘green’ areas which are free from the SARS-CoV-2 virus, allowing visitors to travel anywhere without the need to do any isolation measures.

Recently, Hanoitourist travel company held an inter-provincial tour, the first of its kind following the fourth wave of the Covid-19 outbreak, to bring tourists from the capital to ‘green’ zones in its neighboring province of Bac Giang. The visitors were all required to be fully vaccinated against the Covid-19 pandemic, and travel back and forth between ‘green’ zones only.

Meanwhile, other travel firms have devised plans to introduce new tourism products to meet people’s increasing travel demand at the end of the year, especially during the upcoming New Year and lunar New Year holidays.

Localities pilot a “travel bubble” model to welcome the return of tourists. Photo:HMO

In line with this, Ho Chi Minh City and provinces such as Bac Giang and Quang Binh are set to launch a “travel bubble” model, aligning products to the demand of travelers and the current situation.

As of late October, VietSense travel company is to introduce lunar New Year tours to discover the northwestern region, offering a 20% to 30% discount.

Fivestar Travel travel firm plans to debut caravan holidays in combination with trekking tourism products on routes Hanoi-Lang Son-Bac Giang from November 5 to November 7, VOV reported.

Cashing on the model, Vietravel firm has launched tours from Hanoi to ‘green’ zones in Ho Chi Minh City and other localities where the COVID-19 pandemic was basically been brought under control.

Nguyen Van Tai, director of VietSense company, suggests that localities should create favorable conditions in which travel firms can make use of unified pandemic prevention guidelines to ensure that inter-provincial tourism services return smoothly in the near future.

Localities should swiftly build a tourism map with clearly identified "green” zones which are allowed to welcome tourists, while announcing qualified accommodation and outlets in order to build safe tourism products, suggests Pham Duy Nghia, director of VietFoot Travel.

The Covid-19 pandemic poses many risks, meaning that the tourism sector must adapt to the new normal context in a safe and flexible manner which requires travel operators to follow the criteria set out by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, according to Vu The Binh, vice permanent chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association.

Safe tourism is viewed as a top priority for the tourism sector to gradually recover from the Covid-19 impact these days, says Binh.

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