Restaurants in the south-central Vietnamese province of Khanh Hoa can serve customers with valid COVID-19 vaccine certificates indoors from Friday, the provincial People’s Committee said, quoting a phased socio-economic reopening plan.

As per the plan, the provincial authorities will gradually allow the resumption of economic activities and relax COVID-19 curbs in three stages. 

In stage 1, from Friday to October 15, people participating in socio-economic activities will be checked for their COVID-19 vaccination status through a digital certificate provided by PC-Covid, the national app for COVID-19 control.

People who have had the first dose of the vaccine will receive a yellow certificate, while those who have got two doses will receive a green certificate.

Those who have not had any injections are recorded as "not vaccinated" in this app.

Those without smartphones should bring along their personal documents and similar papers, including either COVID-19 vaccination certificates, negative rapid antigen or real-time RT-PCR test results within 72 hours, or certificates of recovery from the disease.

Tourism establishments in isolated areas can welcome COVID-19 vaccine pass holders residing in the province after meeting safety requirements, going through inspections and obtaining approval from the provincial Department of Tourism.

Restaurants and food joints can provide on-site services to green pass holders and yellow pass guests with negative rapid antigen or real-time RT-PCR test results within 72 hours, having met regulations and criteria on ensuring COVID-19 safety.

The restaurant and establishment owners must register for their resumption at the commune-level People’s Committee.

In stage 2, from October 16 to November 15, the usage of COVID-19 vaccine passes is mandatory.

Both intra-provincial and inter-provincial public passenger transport services can be resumed if they meet the current regulations and safety criteria.

People in risk-free areas can go swimming at local beaches.

They must not gather in groups of more than five on the beach.

Vehicle-parking service and street vendors remain banned at beaches in Nha Trang City.

Education, training and vocational training institutions are expected to organize in-person teaching and learning from October 18, while kindergartens and elementary schools will reopen from November 1.

Bars, pubs, discos, karaoke parlors, beverage services with singing activities, singing clubs, massage services, game centers, cinemas, and eateries and beverage stores along national highway sections passing through the province will stay shut.

In stage 3, from November 16 to December 31, the resumption of socio-economic activities in a ‘new normal’ state will be based on the actual pandemic situation.

Nguyen Tan Tuan, chairman of the Khanh Hoa People’s Committee, underscored that the reopening plan shall only be carried out in virus-free areas as the pandemic situation in the province is basically under control, not completely safe.

Khanh Hoa Province, whose population tops 1.2 million, has reported 7,806 local infections and 90 deaths in the coronavirus crisis that has hit Vietnam since late April.

The south-central province has applied various social distancing measures to curb the virus spread in recent months.

Vietnam’s total caseload has reached 793,150 patients while fatalities have mounted to 19,437 since the COVID-19 pandemic first appeared early last year. 

So far, health workers have administered nearly 771,000 first vaccine doses and more than 84,500 second shots to residents aged from 18 years old in Khanh Hoa, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

The corresponding figures for the country are some 32.6 million and nearly 9.4 million.

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