Health ministry clarifies Covid patients cannot leave home

One of the guidelines it had issued earlier that day for managing treatment at home said “Covid patients can leave their quarantine,” but have to wear masks and ensure social distance to prevent infection.

This caused many people to believe they could leave their home, and the media carried headlines saying Covid patients could leave home and come out into the streets.

Deputy health minister Nguyen Truong Son told VnExpress Monday night that people could not leave their houses but are allowed to leave the rooms in which they are quarantined.

Meanwhile, local authorities in many wards and communes in Hanoi and HCMC have been instructing patients to go to their local medical station to confirm their Covid-19 status.

Besides, there are families in which everyone is infected and someone is forced to go out to buy food and medicines.

In January the ministry said patients treated at home could leave quarantine after seven days if they test negative. If the test result remains positive, they need to quarantine for an additional 10 days if fully vaccinated and 14 days if they are not.