Hanoi cancels Tet fireworks over Covid concerns

Chu Ngoc Anh, chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, said the capital had sought the government’s opinion on the firework shows and the latter had not allowed them.

Earlier this month, Hanoi had announced plans to launch fireworks for 15 minutes in celebration of the Lunar New Year from midnight on February 1, the first day of the Lunar New Year. It had said that the fireworks will launched from a single location in the Thong Nhat Park.

The capital had not launched fireworks for the Gregorian New Year’s Eve this year, also over Covid-19 concerns.

Hanoi has recorded around 3,000 new daily Covid-19 cases in the past two weeks, and consistently topped the country in the daily tally. It has recorded over 97,200 Covid-19 cases in the fourth coronavirus wave so far.

Previously, Ho Chi Minh City's Department of Culture and Sports had said that the southern city would also not launch fireworks for the Lunar New Year's Eve based on "instructions from the central government and the city."

The Ministry of Health has urged cities and provinces not to launch Tet fireworks over the risk of new outbreaks overloading the healthcare system.