Vietnam to stop testing entrants for Covid

In a document issued Friday, the Prime Minister has requested the Ministry of Health to closely follow the coronavirus situation to have proper guidance. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs would direct Vietnamese authorities outside the country to inform people who wish to enter Vietnam to follow appropriate disease prevention measures, he added.

The decision is made as the number of Covid-19 infections and deaths drops both in Vietnam and around the world. Several countries have also been taking steps to relax coronavirus restrictions, including scrapping Covid-19 testing requirements before entry.

Current policies by the health ministry require entrants to have a negative PCR tests within the last 72 hours, or a negative quick test within the last 24 hours.

Those who don’t have a test result must refrain from making contact with others during the first 24 hours after entry. They will be able to walk freely once they have a negative test.

Children under two don’t need to be tested.

Vietnam stopped requiring medical declarations upon arrival from abroad starting April 27, and for domestic travel starting April 30.