Vietnamese nationals in masks and protective clothes boarded a direct flight from the US back to Vietnam in earlier December 2021. (Photo: VNA) Thenew regulations will be effective from January 1, 2022, the day Vietnam is setto resume regular international flights on a pilot basis.
Accordingto the guidance, the arrivals must have proof of negative COVID-19 testresults (using the gold-standard PCR method) within 72 hours prior to entry(except in the case of children under two years old), must declare theirhealth status before entry and must install Vietnam’s PC-COVID app(available on both Android and iOS) for contact tracing and medical declarationpurposes. The installation of the app is only on a ‘recommended’ basis fordiplomats and entrants on official businesses.
Arrivalsthat are Vietnamese citizens, including Vietnamese citizens residing overseasand the spouses and children of Vietnamese citizens, who have not beenvaccinated against COVID-19, can be vaccinated for free during the quarantineperiod if they want to.
Entrantswho have been fully vaccinated, or recovered from COVID-19, must not makedirect contact with other people during the first three days, leave theirplaces of residence or designated accommodation (hotels, motels, resorts,offices, dormitories, guest houses, etc.)
TwoRT-PCR tests will be conducted, on the first and third day from the entry.
Ifthe results return negative, then the entrants still need to self-monitor theirhealth status for 14 days after arrival, but this is already a huge step downfrom the current policies of mandatory seven days of concentrated quarantineand seven days of follow-up medical self-observation.
Ifthey are willing to get a COVID-19 test (RT-PCR) on the tenth day, then themedical self-observation could end then.
Forentrants who have not been fully vaccinated, upon entry, they will stay athome or place of accommodation for seven days, with RT-PCR tests conducted onthe first and seventh day.
Ifthe results are negative, the full two weeks of self-observation is applied,with another RT-PCR test to be done on the fourteenth day from the entry.
Forentrants who are under 18 years old, above 65 years old, pregnant women, orhaving underlying health conditions (without requiring care or observation ofmedical facilities), they could be quarantined along with their parents orcaretakers.
Thecaretakers must be fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19 and sign a‘commitment’ document giving their voluntary willingness to quarantine withanother person after having been informed of the risks of virus transmission.They will also be subject to the same stringent testing regimes and COVID-19prevention and control measures expected of foreign arrivals.
Duringthe self-observation period, the entrants must adhere to 5K message: Khau trang (face mask) – Khu khuan (disinfection) – Khoang cach (distance) – Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (health declaration).
Anyonewho develops suspect symptoms, like coughing, fever, breathing difficulties orthroat ache, is urged to notify the local health authorities immediately.
Theentrants are also recommended to have rapid antigen tests on the first day ofentry and notify the health authorities if the result returns positive.
Theverification and recognition of foreign COVID-19 vaccination certificates andrecovery certificates are implemented following the guidance of the Ministry ofForeign Affairs, while the verification and recognition of Vietnam’s COVID-19vaccination certificates and recovery certificates are implemented followingthe guidance of the Ministry of Health.
Vietnamhas a high vaccination rate currently; 96.4 percent of the adultpopulation has received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine while 76.5 percentare double vaccinated. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered healthauthorities to finish administering two doses of vaccines to 100 percent of thepopulation aged 18 and above by the end of 2021 and accelerate the inoculationdrive for children.
Theprotocols set in this guidance will replace relevant protocols set in previousguidance related to concentrated quarantine, and further changes to thequarantine period could be made depending on COVID-19 pandemic developments,according to the Ministry of Health.
Theprotocols are not applicable to all entrants who have arrived into Vietnam andare already within the periods of quarantine and medical self-observationbefore the issuance date (December 16, 2021).
Theproposed new rules were first made public by the Ministry of Health just this morning before becoming officiallater on the day./.
VNA
