This is the second time this year the Hoan Kiem pedestrian street closed for Covid-19 prevention.

Vice Chairman of the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee Dinh Hong Phong said that the move is made in line with Hanoi authorities’ regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control.

The pedestrian streets include those around the Hoan Kiem Lake and its neighbouring streets in the Hanoi Old Quarter, such as Hang Dao, Hang Giay and Dong Xuan Night Market.

The pedestrian streets often attract a large number of people, which poses high risks for COVID-19 spreading without appropriate preventive measures.

The pedestrian street around Hoan Kiem Lake, for example, draws an average of around 3,000-5,000 visitors during the day and 15,000-20,000 at night.

This is the second time Hanoi has closed pedestrian streets amid COVID-19 fears. The pedestrian streets stopped working in February 2 as the first coronavirus wave broke out in the country.

Earlier, the Hanoi People’s Committee Vice Chair Ngo Van Quy requested people to continue wearing face masks in public places. Meanwhile, activities like festivals, sporting events and gatherings of more than 30 people have been temporarily halted in the city.

Quy ordered that from 12 am on August 19, food and beverage places, pubs must arrange seats at least one metre from each other.

Ngo Van Suu, another vice-chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee said that local residents should go out only when necessary to help contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

Suu proposed arranging more inspection forces for restaurants, pubs and cafes to timely detect violations. Those that breach the regulations need to be suspended.

Statistics show Hanoi has registered 11 locally acquired coronavirus cases since the second wave broke out in Da Nang in late July. The city has tested 72,000 people returning from Da Nang, the epicenter of the outbreak, with nearly 50,000 samples coming back negative.

Thanh Nam

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