Vietnam lifts social distancing restrictions on planes leaving Da Nang

The Transport Ministry's lifting of restrictions came in the wake of the central city not recording a new Covid-19 community transmission for more than two weeks and the nation having gone 10 days without new domestic infections.

Starting September 7, the ministry allowed the resumption of public transport services to and from Da Nang after they had been suspended for more than a month. However, vehicles departing the city had to maintain social distancing between passengers to limit the risks of infections.

While the distancing restrictions have been lifted, passengers are still required to wear face masks at airports, railway stations and bus terminals as also make medical declarations before boarding.

Vietnamese carriers have already announced an increase in the frequency of flights to and from Da Nang.

For instance, starting Sunday, Vietjet Air will increase the frequency of daily round-trip flights from HCMC to Da Nang to four a day and from Hanoi to three, instead of two as previous days.

Before Da Nang became the epicenter of Vietnam’s second Covid-19 outbreak, which began on July 25 after the country's 99-day streak of no community transmission, there were 20 flights a day from Hanoi and HCMC to the central city.

Da Nang eased social distancing measures from September 5 and reopened its public beaches last Friday.

Vietnam has reported 1,060 Covid-19 cases so far, of these 109 are active cases and 35 deaths. The country has recorded no new domestic transmissions for the last 10 days.