Foreigners drinking beer in the ‘backpacker’ street Tạ Hiện, downtown Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Tuấn Đức

HÀ NỘI — Hà Nội authorities will allow the reopening of karaokes, bars, massage venues and gaming centres from April 8, according to the latest COVID-19 adaptation plan released by the city on Wednesday afternoon.

These places, considered high risks for spreading the coronavirus, are usually the first to be closed when a COVID-19 outbreak occurs and the last to reopen when it eases.

They have been ordered to shut down in the capital since late April last year in response to the emergence of the fourth wave of infections in the country.

The venues must ensure COVID-19 prevention and control measures as per health authority guidelines and advise customers with suspected COVID-19 symptoms – fever, coughing, breathing difficulties and loss of taste and smell, for example – to avoid using the services, and instead seek medical instruction from local health authorities.

District- and township-level people’s committees must cooperate with authorities to inspect these service venues in compliance with COVID-19 safety guidelines and other legal regulations.

With these services reopening and students in the first to sixth grades returning to school today, Hà Nội has resumed nearly all socio-economic activities, thanks to a high vaccination rate that kept the significant COVID caseload in recent months from translating to hospitalisations and deaths.

Only pre-schools have not been allowed to reopen. — VNS