Hanoi police will set up 22 Covid-19 checkpoints at the city’s major gateways from 6am on July 14.

The functional forces at the checkpoints will work 24 hours per day and in four shifts, at the gateways between Hanoi and northern provinces of Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Bac Ninh, Bac Giang, Lang Son, Hoa Binh, Phu Tho, Vinh Phuc, and Thai Nguyen.

This photo was taken on May 17. A transport inspector checks the flow of a truck in Ba Vi District. Photo: Thanh Luan

The checkpoints will control the flow of all vehicles, and people between Hanoi and other provinces and cities.

At the checkpoint, people will measure their body temperature and fill up the medical declaration form. The functional forces will also review the Covid-19 prevention work on all vehicles and will test people suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus.

The move is taken after at least 60 new coronavirus infections were detected in Hanoi from multiple clusters, ending its nine-day streak of no community transmission.

Experts have warned that the infections in Hanoi could stem from existing hotspots across Vietnam and silently spread in the community.

Tran Dac Phu, a senior advisor at the Public Health Emergency Operations Center, said Hanoi should continue carrying out mass screening, especially in high-risk areas to early detect and isolate infection sources and have an overall assessment of the situation.

Phu noted that returnees from Covid-19-hit areas, especially Ho Chi Minh City, currently the nation's largest coronavirus hotspot, could infect the community. More than 16,000 Covid-19 community cases have been recorded in Ho Chi Minh City so far in the new wave that started in Vietnam in late April.

Hanoi’s tally now stands at 535. The city has shuttered restaurants, cafes providing sit-down table services, and barbershops, allowing only takeaways as of July 13. All physical exercises, entertainment activities, and other large gatherings at parks, gardens, and public locations are suspended.