Passengers no longer need COVID tests before domestic flights

Passengers queue up to complete procedures before their flight at the Nội Bài International Airport in Hà Nội. — VNA/VnExpress News Photo Lâm Khánh

HÀ NỘI — From Saturday, domestic passengers, regardless of their vaccine status, will no longer have to take a SARS-CoV-2 testing before their flight, with the exception of passengers from areas with a very high pandemic risk.

The Ministry of Transport (MoT) on Friday night issued a document that adjusted regulations for domestic passengers. The adjustment aims to safely adapt to the new situation while vaccination coverage is at a high rate, and create good conditions for citizens travelling, especially during the Tết (Lunar New Year) festival.

Under the new regulations, domestic passengers only have to test negative for SARS-CoV-2 within three days if they live in or travel from “red areas,” which are ranked as level four – the highest level of COVID-19 risk, or from lockdown areas.

Currently, no areas in the country are at level four and there are no lockdown areas.

For children travelling from red zones, the MoT has asked the Ministry of Health for guidance.

From now on, the MoT has also removed its requirement to test domestic flight crews every seven days.

Domestic passengers still have to make medical declarations on the PC-COVID application before their trip.

Passengers are not allowed to join flights if have symptoms of cough, fever, difficulty breathing, muscle aches, sore throat or loss of taste. — VnExpress News