Vietnam will consider shortening the quarantine period for incoming people to one week instead of three in order to facilitate the entry of foreign experts and Vietnamese returnees.  

Foreign visitors at Noi Bai International Airport. Photo: Vietnam Airlines

The one-week duration would be imposed for those who meet safety requirements, including the Covid-19 vaccination certificate, and testing conducted by the Ministry of Health.

Medical surveillance will be required after the quarantine.

The move is aimed to assist the operation of foreign-invested companies and ease the burden of quarantine centers, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam has said, asking the Ministry of Health to proceed with the plan.

He required the Ministry of Health within next week to issue new regulations on testing and quarantine that are expected to support Vietnam’s dual goals of achieving economic growth and containing the virulent pandemic.

The military medical workforce assumes responsibility for testing in military-run quarantine camps while the health sector is in charge of testing in quarantine facilities and quarantine hotels.

The ministry also needs to check all stages from receiving, transporting, and quarantining foreigners and Vietnamese returnees and countermeasures at quarantine facilities.

On May 5, Vietnam extended the quarantine period by a week to 21 days after dozens of the newest Covid-19 cases have been infected from people who completed the 14-day isolation.

The infection has caused about 1,800 cases after three weeks.

Local health experts said there might be an incubation of more than 14 days in some cases.

Vietnam has maintained entry restrictions for all immigrants except for foreign diplomats, investors, experts, and high-skilled workers with strict health protocols.