The Hanoi city government has said it will continue keeping bars and karaoke lounges closed until the Covid-19 pandemic is totally under control in the city.

Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy at a meeting on September 8. Photo: Kinhtedothi

Local authorities will decide the next move until September 16, the time considered to be virus-free in Hanoi if no new infections are reported, Deputy Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Ngo Van Quy said at a meeting Tuesday.

Hanoi has reported no locally-transmitted cases since August 19. 

At the meeting, Mr. Quy, who chairs the city’s Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, emphasized the need to keep vigilance on SARS-CoV-2 due to uncertainties in the global situation, asking local authorities to keep a close eye on people returning from Danang after means of transport are allowed to come to and from the beach city.

Hanoi has asked bars and karaoke lounges to shut from August 1 since the novel coronavirus resurfaced in Vietnam on July 25.

Since then, the city has imposed drastic measures to prevent it from spreading to the community after it reported about 10 local infections all linked to Danang.

This is followed by a number of tough measures namely no crowd gatherings like festivals, religious rituals, and sports event while weddings and funerals are required to be equipped with precautionary measures.

Non-essential services namely karaoke lounges, bars, and non-essential good production are not allowed.

Safety rules are strongly demanded in public means of transport.

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing continues to be taken for all returnees from Danang. Meanwhile, foreign experts, managers, skilled workers, and their relatives can be quarantined in hotels in the city.