A year on, Hanoi reopens walking streets

The resumption is happening after a year of suspension prompted by efforts to prevent the spread of Covid-19 despite many new infections being detected in the city every day.

The high rate of vaccination and most of the newly infected having mild symptoms not requiring hospitalization are factors that have allowed socioeconomic activities to resume.

The pedestrian streets around the Sword Lake, from Hang Dao to Hang Giay streets and certain other locations would be reopened this weekend, according to the Hoan Kiem District People’s Committee.

The pedestrian streets and surrounding locations will be open from 7 p.m. Friday to midnight Sunday. The locations will be open from 7 p.m. to midnight Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and vehicles can still run on such streets during the day.

Nearly a year ago, when the fourth coronavirus wave hit the country, Hanoi shut down its walking streets as a coronavirus fighting measure.

The capital has since recorded around 860,000 Covid-19 cases, the highest fourth wave infection tally in the country.