Hà Nội’s pedestrian streets could reopen in March

Pedestrian streets around Hoàn Kiếm Lake before they were closed due to COVID-19. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo Thành Đạt

HÀ NỘI — The pedestrian areas surrounding Hoàn Kiếm Lake in the centre of Hà Nội are set to reopen in early March after nearly a year of closures due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

The streets around the lake are usually cordoned off from traffic from Friday night till late Sunday, allowing people to walk freely and cultural events, community activities to take place right on the road, which has been one of the capital city’s biggest attractions since its debut in 2016.

Hoàn Kiếm District’s authorities announced the closures of the streets in April last year as the fourth wave of infections in the country began to show complicated developments.

The district has recently said it is proposing the city’s authorities allow the reopening of the streets from March, on the back of the city’s very high COVID-19 vaccination rate and its under-control outbreak level despite rising cases.

In the proposal, people going to the pedestrian area will need to be fully vaccinated and comply with basic COVID-19 prevention and control measures like mask wearing, hand sanitation, and avoiding large gatherings, and submitting self-declaration health status via QR codes.

A final plan is being developed for the reopening by city authorities. — VnExpress News