Traffic police officers check the travel documents of Hanoi people during the time of social distancing - Photo: Pham Hai

"Too many people are still going out. From now until September 4, we will assess the risk based on Covid test results, but if the situation remains like this, social distancing is likely to be extended for at least half a cycle (ie 7 days)," said Khong Minh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC).

Regarding easing social distancing in some areas, he said that suburban districts are now basically "clean" of Covid-19.

“It depends on people's consciousness. It is very dangerous if infected people in the areas under social distancing go to areas under relaxed measures," said Tuan.

In order to implement partial easing of social distancing, according to Tuan, a very tight control system must be built.

Dr. Nguyen Viet Hung, Vice President of the Hanoi Association for Infection Control, told VietNamNet that Hanoi is still at risk of having new outbreaks. The city government and the health sector will decide the level of social distancing after September 6.

The vaccination rate and the ability to control outbreaks will be considered in the decision.

“During the time of social distancing, Hanoi has been doing a good job in epidemic prevention. If the city relaxes completely, the risk will be very high. I think it is possible to consider easing social distancing in safe areas, but the city has to be ready to apply blockade measures immediately if new infection cases are detected in the areas,” he said.

“We should question how the virus will spread in the city without social distancing. Without it, there would not be just a few dozen cases per day" as there are now.

Social distancing is a very important measure when the vaccination rate is still low.

“People should not be too worried nor be impatient. The fight against the Covid-19 epidemic in Hanoi is long as the pathogen has spread in the community, and many other provinces and cities are experiencing strong outbreaks," he said.

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