Capital suspends conferences, mass gatherings

Illustration photo

The Directive was issued when the city is struggling with complicated clusters of Covid transmission and as surrounding localities have confirmed new local infections caused by faster-spreading UK and Indian variants. The city is coping with high risks of community infection. 

Chairman Anh tasked departments, agencies, and sectors, district-level people’s committees to focus on disease prevention in the spirit of “fighting the disease like fighting an enemy” and take more drastic and faster measures. Social distancing rules and isolation will be imposed if necessary in line with guidelines of the medical sector but avoid extreme measures which affect socio-economic development. 

The city will pursue the tactic to timely detect infections, quickly trace contacts, conduct tests, zone off and stamp out outbreaks, enforce the “5K” message, and absolutely not miss people who have contacts with COVID-19 patients and suspected cases. 

Unnecessary conferences and events of mass gathering are suspended. If necessary, room meetings must be arranged with 50% of seats. Regulations on two-meter distance, temperature checks, face coverings and sanitation are mandatory. Gatherings of over ten people outside office areas, schools, hospitals, and election venues are banned.

Indoor restaurants and shop houses must ensure minimum distance of two meters. Food service establishments outsides hospitals are not allowed to serve customers except for takeaway activities. Remote disease treatment and outpatient treatment are strengthened. 

Heads of district-level COVID-19 prevention and control steering committees are responsible for applying lockdowns on pandemic-hit outbreaks in narrowed areas but tight management and control. 

The same day, the local authorities decided to temporarily close beer bars, flea markets and street-side markets. 

Earlier, Chairman of the Ha Noi People’s Committee Chu Ngoc Anh repeated the call on local residents to stay home “as much as possible” to avoid contagion of the new coronavirus, which is sweeping every part of the world.

The capital city also suspended many non-essential services including karaoke, theaters and cinemas, massage parlors, gyms and dance clubs, sporting events, outdoor food eateries and cafes, among others.

Ha Noi recorded 47 new cases, mostly related to the outbreak at the National Hospital for Tropical Diseases, since the disease recurred in Viet Nam on April 29./.

By Kim Anh