A phở restaurant on Lò Đúc Street, Hà Nội. — VNA/VNS Photo Thành Đạt

HÀ NỘI — With the COVID-19 situation under control in Hà Nội, municipal authorities have approved the reopening of indoor dining and drinking venues along with barbershops, effective from midnight tonight.

In a document signed by Vice Chairman of Hà Nội People’s Committee Chử Xuân Dũng and issued late Monday, barbershops and indoor dining and drinking venues were allowed to resume operations, nearly a month after receiving closure orders.

Capacity is capped at 50 per cent, no more than 20 customers can be in a venue at any time and venues are asked to set up barriers between tables and ensure a safe distance between customers. They must also close by 9pm.

The owners of all venues must require customers to submit electronic health declarations during their time on the premises.

Wine bars, pubs, and bia hơi venues are only allowed to sell orders for delivery.

Inspections by local authorities will be conducted regularly to enforce the rules.

The city ordered the closure of massage venues, cinemas, spas, gyms on May 5, bars and bia hơi outlets on May 11, and forbade all restaurants and barbershops from providing indoor services from May 25.

In addition to the lifting of closure orders, the city’s authorities noted many localities in the country are still suffering complicated COVID-19 outbreaks and people travelling from these areas constitute a high risk of virus transmission in the community.

The traffic police along with local governments must step up patrols and inspections at gateways into the city to monitor the flow of people into the city, especially arrivals from HCM City and Đà Nẵng City, as well as Bình Dương, Nghệ An and Hà Tĩnh provinces.

Nội Bài International Airport was asked to review the list of all passengers who arrive from HCM City and stay in Hà Nội so proper pandemic measures can be rolled out when necessary.

The health department was tasked with ensuring prevention of COVID-19 in medical establishments, as well as carrying out frequent COVID-19 screening in high-risk areas.

In the latest wave of infections since late April, Hà Nội has recorded more than 260 local cases (excluding the large clusters found in two major hospitals, both of which have exited lockdowns), but no new cases in recent days. — VNS