Official Dispatch 6386/BYT-MT 2021 on measures for people returning from pandemic-hit areas

To: People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities.

In order to timely control the COVID-19 pandemic, which currently remains complicated in many localities, apart from implementing the Prime Minister's Official Dispatch No. 1063/CD-TTg dated July 31, 2021, on COVID-19 prevention and control, the Ministry of Health (the standing agency of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control) requests People's Committees of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct the following contents:

1. For those who have been to/return from pandemic-hit areas (that are regularly updated on the Ministry of Health's website at https://moh.gov.vn/dia-diem-cach-ly):

a) People who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (having vaccination certification on the electronic health record or a certificate of having received full doses of COVID-19 vaccine issued by the vaccinating facility, in which the last dose must be taken at least 14 days and no more than 12 months up to the time of arrival/return to the locality), or people who have recovered from COVID-19 (having a certificate of a positive test for SAR-COV-2 by RT-PCR method of single sample no more than 6 months up to the time of arrival/return to the locality) and possess a certificate of recovery from COVID-19 or hospital discharge paper):

They shall self-monitor their health status at home or accommodations within 07 days from the date of arrival/return to the localities, always comply with the 5K Messages, and shall be tested twice on the first and the seventh days. If the results of the test for SARS-CoV-2 are positive, handling procedures shall comply with regulations.

b) People not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated people:

They shall be quarantined at home or accommodations for 14 days from the date of arrival/return to the localities, and continue to self-monitor their health status for the next 14 days. They shall be tested three times, on the first, seventh, and fourteenth days during the home quarantine period. If the results of the test for SARS-CoV-2 are positive, handling procedures shall comply with regulations.

c) People from other provinces, cities, or areas passing through pandemic-hit areas without stopping or parking shall not be subject to quarantine measures.

2. For those who return from provinces, cities, or areas currently placed under social distancing in line with the Prime Minister's Directive No. 16/CT-TTg:

a) Citizens are not allowed to move from their residing provinces or cities to other localities until the social distancing measure specified in the Prime Minister's Public Telegram No. 1063/CD-TTg dated July 31, 2021, is lifted.

b) Special cases permitted to move to other localities by local authorities: To comply with pandemic prevention and measures specified in Section 1 of this Official Dispatch.

3. Those who join working groups under decisions of competent agencies in pandemic-hit provinces, cities and areas or provinces, cities and areas currently placed under social distancing in line with the Prime Minister’s Directive No. 16/CT-TTg (except close contacts of confirmed cases (F1 cases) or people in contact with close contacts of confirmed cases (F2 cases)):

a) Members of working groups comprising officials of the Deputy Minister level or higher:

They shall self-monitor their health status within 14 days, and notify health agencies for monitoring and handling as prescribed upon showing any abnormal signs such as cough, fever, dyspnoea, sore throat, loss of taste, etc.

b) Fully vaccinated people or those who have recovered from COVID-19:

They shall self-monitor their health status within 07 days, and shall be tested for SAR-COV-2 by RT-PCR method twice on the first and seventh days from the date of arrival/return to the localities. They must always follow the 5K Messages, especially wear masks, avoid mass gatherings, or visiting crowded places.

c) People not fully vaccinated or unvaccinated people:

They shall be quarantined at home or accommodations for 03 days from the date of arrival/return to the localities under the Ministry of Health's Decision No. 879/QD-BYT dated March 20, 2020, and continue to self-monitor their health status until the end of the fourteenth day, from the date of arrival/return to the localities, always follow the 5K Messages, especially wear masks, and avoid mass gatherings or visiting crowded places. They shall be tested for SAR-COV-2 twice, on the first and the third days from the first day of home quarantine. If the results of the test for SARS-CoV-2 are positive, handling procedures shall comply with regulations.

4. Drivers of vehicles transporting commodities entering or leaving pandemic-hit areas, who fully satisfy pandemic prevention and control measures according to instructions provided by the Ministry of Health in the Official Dispatch No. 898/BYT-MT dated February 07, 2021, guiding COVID-19 prevention and control in commodity transportation, and the Official Dispatch No. 4351/BYT-MT dated May 28, 2021, on strengthening COVID-19 prevention and control in commodity transportation, shall not be subject to quarantine measures.

5. For those who have been vaccinated against COVID-19 or have recovered from COVID-19 in other countries, the inspection and recognition of vaccination certificates and certificates of recovery from COVID-19 or other equivalent papers issued by foreign agencies shall comply with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ instructions.

The Ministry of Health hereby requests People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct and implement seriously the above-mentioned guidelines.

Sincerely./.