Hanoi will strictly enforce face mask wearing regulations in hospitals, parking lots, public areas, wet markets, supermarkets and shopping malls.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy made the statement at a  meeting on November 11.

Mr. Quy asked the functional forces to strictly supervise the compliance of masking rules in public places, especially the five above-mentioned locations.

"People without masking up will not be allowed to enter those venues in Hanoi. Face masks will be sold at the entrances," said the vice chairman.

Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Ngo Van Quy speaks at the meeting. Photo: Kinhtedothi.vn

He stressed that over the past time, people’s compliance of masking regulation at crowded places in Hanoi is good, but still has not met the city's requirements. As winter is approaching, if people lower their guard in preventing Covid-19, it would lead to the spread of the pandemic in the community and neutralize the city's pandemic prevention and control efforts.

"Five municipal missions will inspect the masking regulation compliance next week," Mr. Quy said.

For his part, Director of the Hanoi Department of Health Nguyen Khac Hien said that most people in public sports areas do not wear masks, and no one reminds them.

Operators of markets, apartment buildings, bus stations must be responsible for inspecting and strictly enforcing the regulation on donning of face masks.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Health Tran Thi Nhi Ha said that people on the pedestrian street in Hoan Kiem district only wear face mask in the presence of security personnel and they put it off when the enforcement staff are off sight.

Ms. Ha noted the city needs to increase communication about face-mask wearing, adding that the municipal government should penalize people for defying measures to prevent and control Covid-19, with hefty fines for not wearing face masks in public of from VND1 to 3 million (US$43.18-129.53).

According to Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade Tran Thi Phuong Lan, November is a promotional month in Hanoi, thus, numerous people will go shopping.

The department has requested markets, trade centers and supermarkets to take body temperature and remind customers to wear masks, Ms. Phuong said.

Vietnam has basically put the Covid-19 hot spots under control and 71 days have passed with no Covid-19 cases reported in the community.

Meanwhile, Hanoi has gone 85 days without detecting any new cases of Covid-19 in the community since August 17. However, according to experts, the risk of a resurgence of the Covid-19 pandemic is latent, so staying vigilant is a must, as cold and dry winter conditions favor the transmission of the virus.

People are still recommended to regularly wash hands with soap or hand sanitizers, clean surfaces and frequently touched objects (door knobs, mobile phones, tablets, tables, and chairs). People are also asked to practice social distancing and avoid mass gatherings.