On May 5, due to the complicated development of the Covid-19 outbreak, the Hanoi People's Committee decided to suspend the operation of massage parlors, cinemas, spa facilities and fitness centers, among others.

After the fourth wave of Covid-19 broke out in Vietnam in late April, on May 11, beer restaurants in Hanoi were asked to close, and on May 25, restaurants and eateries were asked to sell food for takeaway only.

In the new wave, Hanoi had recorded 464 cases of Covid-19 as of the morning of June 19. Notably, in the past few days, the capital city has had no new locally-infected cases.

It is expected that from June 22, indoor restaurants, outdoor exercise and sports activities in Hanoi will resume.

Khong Minh Tuan, deputy director of the Hanoi Center for Disease Control (CDC), said that the city would consider reopening some services and activities that do not gather more than 20 people and ensure social distancing. He said that sidewalk services would not be reopened in the near future.

Regarding the reopening of indoor food services, including beer restaurants, Tran Dac Phu, former Director of the Department of Preventive Medicine under the Ministry of Health, consultant to the Vietnam Public Health Emergency Response Center, said that "it is not clear whether Hanoi will allow beer restaurants to re-openw but in my opinion, beer restaurants should not be reopened".

In Da Nang, the largest city in central Vietnam, new cases of Covid-19 have been detected and some services have had to close again after being reopened, Phu said that even if restaurants in Hanoi are reopened, they must strictly follow the rules on prevention and control of Covid-19.

According to Mr. Phu, the epidemic in Hanoi has been controlled well, and it is time to relax some activities to limit the impact on people's lives. Hanoi can open restaurants, eateries and religious activities on the condition that the 5K message is strictly implemented.

“Services such as beer restaurants, karaoke parlours, bars, and fitness centers will be reopened last. The epidemic is still complicated so relaxing services and activities need to be accompanied by close supervision; otherwise, we will have to start all over again," said Phu.

As for swimming pools, according to Mr. Khong Minh Tuan, like outdoor services, outdoor sports activities will be reopened, but the density must be reduced.

Previously, the Hanoi Party Standing Committee’s announcement related to the prevention and control of Covid-19 said that the city could allow outdoor sports activities for no more than 20 people and reopen some services.

Ngoc Huyen

Restaurants, coffee shops ready to reopen in Hanoi

A number of takeaway-only cafes in Hanoi have begun to clean their shops, waiting for the day the Hanoi authorities will allow them to re-open.