Vietnam to trial vaccine passport program in July

HANOI, Jun 26, 2021, VN Express. Vietnam will trial its vaccine passport program in July in the northern province of Quang Ninh, under which vaccinated or recovered foreign entrants will be quarantined for seven days, VN Express reported.

The decision was issued by Deputy Health Minister Do Xuan Tuyen on Friday, allowing foreign entrants who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19, and test negative for the coronavirus upon arrival, to undergo a seven-day centralized quarantine period instead of the usual 21 days.

They will have to take another seven days in self-isolation.

Quang Ninh is home to Van Don International Airport and the world famous Ha Long Bay. The province will undertake the vaccine passport trial for the entirety of July.

The vaccines accepted under the program are those which have been approved by either the WHO, the U.S. Center for Disease Control (CDC), the European Medicines Agency (EMA) or Vietnam. The final shot must have been given between 14 days and 12 months prior to the date of entry.

For those who have recovered from Covid-19, it must be proven by a certificate provided by an entity qualified to do so from the country where the entrant was treated. The discharge date must be within the 12 months prior to the date of entry.

Within 36 hours before their entry, entrants must medically declare themselves, stating which hotels or places they would stay in.

Within 72 hours before they leave Vietnam, they must also have tested negative for the coronavirus.

Back in April, the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control had decided that three groups of entrants: vaccinated Vietnamese citizens stranded overseas; foreigners wishing to enter Vietnam for investment and business purposes; and international tourists would be eligible to use vaccine passports.

The vaccine passport is currently envisaged as a digital document issued by the country where the vaccine has been administered.

Vietnam plans to receive people coming from countries that have managed Covid-19 outbreaks well, including those that have achieved herd immunity thanks to their vaccination programs. Such people will be able to visit tourist sites and resorts designated for their ability to control the flow of tourist traffic well and be able to manage guests’ itineraries efficiently and safely.

Vietnam closed its borders and canceled all international flights in March last year. Only Vietnamese repatriates, foreign experts, diplomats, investors, and highly-skilled workers have been allowed in since with stringent quarantine requirements.