​Hanoians flock to pedestrian streets as restrictions go

The streets around the lake and surrounding areas are for pedestrians only from 7 p.m. Friday to midnight Sunday every week.The remaining spaces open from 7 p.m. to midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Le Thai To Street is divided into two, one for vehicles and the other for pedestrians.

Every street has checkpoints where pedestrians can scan QR codes, check their body temperature and disinfect their hands.

Families flock to Dong Kinh Nghia Thuc Square. The walking-only spaces in Hoan Kiem District include pedestrian streets around Sword Lake and some others in the old quarter.

Pham Phuc Hoan, who lives on Pham Van Dong Street, said: “I feel comfortable going out like this again and looking at the crowded streets. My whole family loves it”.

Members of the Hanoi club dance the waltz on one of the pedestrians-only street near Hoan Kiem Lake.

Many people visit the night market on Hang Dao Street the day it reopened.

A group of artists perform an ancient play on Ma May Street.

“When we heard the news of the reopening, we came here right away,” Ha Thanh and Trang Anh of Long Bien District said. “It was really nice to walk in the old quarter”.

The intersection of Ta Hien and Luong Ngoc Quyen streets, a food and beer hub in the old quarter, teems with young people now that
bars and pubs have reopened.

Quan Ho folk singing on O Quan Chuong Street.
The high rate of vaccination and the mildness of new infections are giving people the confidence to resume normal socioeconomic activities.

Hang Bac walking-only street is empty since most people are on the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake.
Nearly a year ago, when the fourth coronavirus wave hit the country, Hanoi shut down its pedestrian streets as a safety measure.
The capital has since recorded over 940,000 Covid cases, the highest tally in the country.