At 6:30 a.m., a Covid-19 checkpoint on Nguyen Van Cu Street divided the road into two lanes, one for motorbikes and the other for cars. Anyone passing through the checkpoint was required to show travel documents and have their body temperatures checked.
To prevent congestion, procedures were streamlined and officers spaced apart from each other.
Starting Saturday, Hanoi has deployed 39 checkpoints in high-risk areas across the capital, located in 15 districts: Tay Ho, Ba Dinh, Cau Giay, Hoan Kiem, Dong Da, Hai Ba Trung, Thanh Xuan, Ha Dong, Hoang Mai, Thanh Tri, Nam Tu Liem, Bac Tu Liem, Hoai Duc, Thanh Oai and Thuong Tin.
Drivers were requested to stop at checkpoints to medically declare themselves, show travel documents and have their body temperatures checked.
Authorities could perform quick Covid-19 tests if needed.
At 7:30 a.m., on Nguyen Van Cu Street, which leads downtown, several vehicles were stopped at checkpoints.
Tran Quang Ninh, deputy head of the traffic police division No. 6 under the Hanoi Traffic Police Department, said checkpoints mainly served to remind people of new rules on the first day.
Checkpoints would function 24/7, with shifts changed every six hours.
A man said he was on his way to purchase medicines in accordance with treatment guidelines set by the Ministry of Health. After showing the necessary documents, he was free to go.
A military officer displays his travel documents to another officer while on his way toward Long Bien Bridge.
A Covid-19 checkpoint was erected near Nhat Tan Bridge.
Among the 39 checkpoints, 21 were deployed by the police in areas with high traffic density, which employ 16 officers. The rest of the checkpoints were managed by local authorities and had four to nine officers.
At 8:30 a.m., a checkpoint near Mai Linh Bridge divided a national highway into six lanes for motorbikes, cars and large trucks.
