Hanoi to reopen cinemas and gym centers

Cinemas and gyms centers in Hanoi will be reopened under a certain number of conditions, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Particularly, gyms centers can accept customers who have received at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine. Physical training activities are divided into two groups.

For outdoor exercises, gym-goers must ensure a minimum distance of two meters, clean and disinfect surfaces of equipment at training sites.

For indoor activities, gym-goers must have at least one dose of vaccine for 14 days or more, or have recovered from Covid-19 within six months, or have a negative test certificate for coronavirus according to the regulations of the health department.

The staff of Elit Fitness Club in Vincom Nguyen Chi Thanh Shopping Center in Hanoi's inner district of Dong Da disinfect all exercise equipment. Photo: The Hanoi Times

Gym owners and instructors are responsible for making a pandemic prevention and control plan; ensuring the provision of disinfectant solution and good ventilation.

For high-risk areas, gyms centers are allowed to accept practitioners up to a maximum of 70% of their capacity and must perform disinfection.

Besides, monuments and museums are requested to welcome groups of no more than 20 people and the tour guide must be injected at least one dose of vaccine.

Over 4,370 Covid-19 cases have been recorded in Hanoi since the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam in late April. The number of infections has been dropping rapidly over the last ten days, with under ten new cases being recorded a day, the municipal Health Department’s data shows.

Hanoi has vaccinated around 98% of its adults, accounting for 70% of the total city population, with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot. Nearly 50% of adults have been fully vaccinated.

In the second phase, starting October, if a district in Hanoi is deemed a low-risk area, businesses, factories, markets, supermarkets and malls in the district would be allowed to operate at maximum capacity.

Food and beverage establishments would be allowed to open, providing that they abide by coronavirus control measures like wearing masks and QR scans.

Other business, commercial activities and services in the district would also be allowed to operate in the "new normal", but large gatherings are still be discouraged in public.