Vietnam: Authorities ease COVID-19 measures in Da Nang and Quang Nam province September 7 /update 33

Event

Vietnam continues to relax curbs in central Vietnam, including Da Nang and Quang Nam province, as of Monday, September 7 due to decreasing local coronavirus disease (COVID-19) activity. Da Nang has increased the public gathering limit to 20 people, with exemptions for workplaces and medical facilities, among others. Food establishments can now serve takeaway and delivery orders, while dining in remains banned. Schools and training agencies are still closed. Some nonessential services, such as beauty parlors, clubs, and bars, remain suspended. The government continues to encourage residents to stay at home at all times unless necessary. Other protocols, such as wearing facemasks when in public and allowing households to leave home once every three days to purchase essential supplies, remain in place.

Private vehicles and public transport, including buses and plans, can resume travel to and from Da Nang with protocols, such as passenger capacity limits and facemasks requirement. Cargo movement can continue to operate. The government requires people leaving Da Nang to test for COVID-19 and self-quarantine for 14 days upon arrival at their residences.

Additionally, officials have also eased movement controls in Quang Nam Province as of September 7. Authorities have allowed nonessential services to reopen with safeguards. Other types of businesses, including food establishments and hotels, can continue to operate with protocols. Precautions include requiring workers and patrons to wear facemasks and frequently sanitize their hands. Cultural activities, exhibitions, and festivals can now take place again. Officials may implement or reintroduce new restrictions in the coming days and weeks.

Vietnamese authorities announced that the resumption of international flight operations would commence from Tuesday, September 15, amid the easing of COVID-19 restrictions. However, only flight operations to/from a limited number of countries will be permitted. A 14-day quarantine period remains in place upon entry. Foreign travelers with diplomatic and official passports, business investors, and high-skilled key workers may be exempt from the 14 day quarantine period if they spend less than 14-days in Vietnam.

As of September 7, health authorities have confirmed a total of 1049 COVID-19 cases with 35 associated deaths in Vietnam. Further spread of the virus is expected in the near term.

Context

The first case of COVID-19 was reported on December 31 and the source of the outbreak has been linked to a wet market in Wuhan (Hubei province, China). Since then, human-to-human transmission of the virus has been confirmed.

Cases of the virus have been confirmed in numerous countries and territories worldwide. On March 11, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared the global outbreak a pandemic. Virus-screening and quarantining measures are being implemented at airports worldwide, as well as extensive travel restrictions.

The most common symptoms of COVID-19 are fever, dry cough, and tiredness. Some patients may experience other symptoms such as body pains, nasal congestion, headache, conjunctivitis, sore throat, diarrhea, loss of taste or smell or a rash on skin or discoloration of fingers or toes. These symptoms (in most cases mild) appear gradually. Generally, most patients (around 80 percent) recover from the disease without being hospitalized.

Advice

Measures adopted by local authorities evolve quickly and are usually effective immediately. Depending on the evolution of the outbreak in other countries, authorities are likely to modify, at very short notice, the list of countries whose travelers are subject to border control measures or entry restrictions upon their arrival to the territory in question. It is advised to postpone nonessential travel due to the risk that travelers may be refused entry or be subject to quarantine upon their arrival or during their stay.

To reduce the general risk of transmission, travelers are advised to abide by the following measures:

• Frequently clean hands by using alcohol-based hand rub or soap and water.
• When coughing and sneezing, cover mouth and nose with a flexed elbow or tissue; if used, throw the tissue away immediately and wash hands.
• If experiencing a fever, cough, difficulty breathing, or any other symptoms suggestive of respiratory illness, including pneumonia, call emergency services before going to the doctor or hospital to prevent the potential spread of the disease.