In addition to the Hanoi districts of Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung, the Vietnamese city’s three inner districts of Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho have to halt in-person dining and some non-essential services from December 26 after the city announced a new pandemic level assessment early on December 25.

According to the municipal People’s Committee, the capital is now medium risk – labelled yellow – but the eight districts of Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Ba Dinh, Hoan Kiem, Hoang Mai, Long Bien, Nam Tu Liem and Tay Ho are labelled orange, with a high risk of Covid-19 infections.

The two districts of Dong Da and Hai Ba Trung changed from yellow to orange on December 19, while the six other districts changed colour due to the complex pandemic development and the increase in infections.

Of the districts and towns across the capital, only Phuc Tho district is at level one – low risk (green) – while 21 others are at level two – medium risk (yellow). No areas in the city are at level four – very-high-risk (red).

The assessment of the pandemic level of Hanoi is based on two criteria: the number of new infections and the vaccination rate.

Currently, the number of people aged 18 having received at least one Covid-19 vaccine in the city is 98.2 per cent. While for people aged 50 who have received with two vaccines is 95.1 per cent.

As soon as the Hanoi People’s Committee issued the pandemic level assessment on the afternoon of December 25, the People’s Committees of Tay Ho and Hoan Kiem districts decided to ban in-person dining, in-person study and some non-essential activities from December 26, while Ba Dinh will tighten disease prevention and control from December 27.

Accordingly, from December 26, the districts of Hoan Kiem and Tay Ho will not allow meetings and events with more than 20 people in one room, and no gathering of 10 or more people outside of offices, schools or hospitals.

Those participating in such meetings/events must show certificates proving they are fully vaccinated, recovered from Covid-19 and tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 within 72 hours, as well as following the “5K rules”.

Religious ceremonies and gatherings of 20 people or more will be halted at religious establishments.

All cultural, sports and recreational activities in public places were stopped too.

Restaurants and food and beverage establishments are only allowed to provide take-away services and must close before 9pm every day.

Streetside markets and temporary markets have to close. Accommodation establishments are allowed to operate at no more than half capacity.

The districts will also temporarily suspend operations for non-essential business and service establishments with high risk of infection, including beauty salons (except for hairdressing), amusement parks, bars, karaoke, games, massage parlours and walking streets.

High schools, vocational schools and education centres must temporarily suspend in-person teaching, switching to online teaching until further notice.

On December 25, Hanoi reported 1,879 new Covid-19 infections, a record high since the start of the pandemic, and marking the seventh straight day the city’s daily caseload led all other localities in Vietnam.

In the last seven days, the city reported an average of nearly 1,700 new infections daily.

On December 25, Hanoi recorded five more deaths from coronavirus, bringing the total Covid-19 related deaths in the city to 95.

The cumulative number of cases in Hanoi during the fourth wave of Covid-19 pandemic, which started from April 29, is 37,522.

VIET NAM NEWS/ASIA NEWS NETWORK