In a document issued by Hanoi People’s Committee Chairman Chu Ngoc Anh Wednesday, companies, offices and businesses can resume operations as normal starting Thursday morning.
Entities would evaluate coronavirus risks themselves, implement prevention measures and continue to encourage remote working, the document said.
Buses and taxis would operate as directed by the Hanoi Department of Transport. Museums and parks would also reopen, but groups must not exceed 10 people each.
Hotels and other residential services can also reopen, but function at half their maximum capacity.
Restaurants and other food and beverage establishments (except businesses that sell alcohol and beer) would be allowed to offer on-site dining at half of their maximum capacity. People must maintain required distances from each other, or screens used to separate them. Owners and their employees must be fully vaccinated, and their customers must medically declare themselves via QR codes.
After spending nearly two months under strict social distancing orders from July 24 to Sept. 21, Hanoi is beginning to relaxed its restrictions gradually as the country moves towards the new normal of living with the virus.
Over 4,000 infections have been recorded in the capital since the fourth coronavirus wave hit Vietnam in late April. The infections have been dropping rapidly over the last 10 days, with under 10 new cases being recorded a day.
Hanoi has vaccinated around 98 percent of its adults, accounting for 70 percent of the total city population, with at least one Covid-19 vaccine shot. Nearly 50 percent of the adults ave been fully vaccinated.