Vietnam has removed the pre-entry Covid-19 testing requirements for all arrivals, starting today [May 15], according to a recent government’s instruction.  

It comes as the numbers of Covid-19 infections and deaths drop both in Vietnam and around the world. Vietnam has reported no Covid-19 related deaths over the past week while infections fell to a 10-month low of around 1,800 cases per day.  

In an official document issued this weekend, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh cited a World Health Organization (WHO)’s report that the pandemic has tended to subside worldwide, shown by the reducing number of new contractions and fatalities, and that the vaccines are still effective against variants of the novel coronavirus.

In such context, many countries have been taking steps to ease Covid-19 restrictions, including removing pre-entry testing, the document said, stressing that Vietnam has also seen a decreasing number of Covid-19 deaths, severe cases and hospitalizations.

Accordingly, PM Chinh requested the Ministry of Health (MoH) to closely follow the pandemic situation and provide timely and proper guidance.

Passengers line up to perform procedures at the Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi. Photo: Quy Nguyen

Besides, Vietnamese representative agencies abroad are tasked with informing people wishing to travel to Vietnam to follow appropriate disease prevention regulations under the MoH’s guidance.

Since March 15, all visitors, except children under two, are required to return negative RT-PCR test results done within the previous 72 hours, or negative rapid test results conducted within the last 24 hours, along with making medical declarations.

However, new daily coronavirus infections and numbers of severe coronavirus infections and deaths in Vietnam have dropped remarkably since March 15 amid the widening Covid-19 vaccine coverage. Vietnam then stopped requiring medical declarations from those arriving from abroad starting April 27, and for domestic travelers from April 30.

Also starting March 15, Vietnam allowed quarantine-free travel and resumed its pre-pandemic visa exemption policy for citizens from 24 countries, including Japan, South Korea and some European countries, as soon as the country fully reopened to international travelers.

The latest move, which facilitates the entry of visitors, is expected to draw visitor flows amid the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions.

Visitors are still asked to frequently wear masks, disinfect their hands, and comply with restrictions like avoiding gathering or keeping a safe distance.

Currently, Vietnam is among few countries with the highest Covid-19 vaccine coverage in the world, the health ministry’s data shows.