Vietnam Resumes International Flights To ‘Pre-Pandemic Level’

A Vietnamese flag flying atop Lung Cu flag tower in Dong Van district, northern province of Ha Giang, Vietnam, in an undated file photo. (Hoang Dinh Nam/AFP via Getty Images)

Vietnam’s government has lifted its COVID-19 restrictions on international flights and restored the frequency of flights to a “pre-pandemic level,” according to state-owned media.

Vietnam imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic to contain the spread of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) virus—commonly known as the novel coronavirus—with initial success, but the measures had badly impacted its tourism sector, which accounted for about 10 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.

Dinh Viet Son, the deputy director of Vietnam’s Civil Aviation Administration, told state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper that “the frequency of flights will be restored to pre-pandemic level” beginning on Feb.15.

Vietnam had already begun gradually resuming international flights with 15 markets from the beginning of this year while easing quarantine requirements for travelers.

Under the new policy, passengers are not required to take a rapid antigen test upon arrival in Vietnam, but they must provide a negative test result done within 72 hours of entry. Foreign arrivals will also be required to install Vietnam’s health declaration application to monitor their health, a state-owned media reported.

Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated travelers will be permitted to self-monitor their health at their lodging for seven days and undergo Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test twice upon arrival in Vietnam.

Son said that Vietnam has already informed its partners about the new policy, and only China has not yet agreed to resume commercial flights with Vietnam.

The country reported 29,143 new COVID-19 cases on Feb. 14, the highest since the start of the pandemic, bringing the overall number of cases to 2,540,273, of which 198 were Omicron cases.

Deputy minister of health Nguyen Truong Son issued a letter to the country’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on Feb. 14, saying that the resumption of karaoke establishments and dance halls should be made based on the pandemic evaluation of their area.

The health ministry said in a statement that each province and city should undertake inspections and appraisals to ensure that only business establishments in areas that fulfill all of the required standards are allowed to reopen.

Businesses were also urged to heighten their pandemic prevention measures, including to disinfect their premises frequently, with the ministry saying that virus transmission can easily occur in enclosed spaces.

Workers and customers were advised to comply with the protocols and be fully vaccinated, the ministry said. Customers exhibiting symptoms such as coughing or fever should not be served.

Reuters contributed to this report.