Most of nearly 500 local journalists who will cover the 13th National Congress of the Communist Party of Vietnam starting next week began to be tested for COVID-19 in Hanoi on Monday.

Delegates, guests, organizing staff, and journalists, among others, are required to pass coronavirus tests to engage in the Congress, according to regulations.

Authorities have issued a press pass to 474 journalists coming from 191 news agencies and newspapers throughout the country, the Party’s Central Propaganda Department said.

Over 350 of the journalists who are based in Hanoi were tested for the novel coronavirus on Monday afternoon.

They will be retested on January 23.

Journalists from other provinces and cities will be tested in accordance with plans drawn up by delegations of Party members in their respective localities.

Vietnam has also granted press passes to 63 reporters and editors from 26 foreign news agencies who are based in the country, the Central Propaganda Department said.

Ninety-nine other reporters and editors from 84 international press agencies and newspapers have registered to report on the 13th National Party Congress, the department added.

Foreign journalists will have to be tested for COVID-19, with coordination by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, to be permitted to cover the Congress on the ground.

The Communist Party of Vietnam convenes a grand congress every five years to select a new leadership.

The 13th Party National Congress is scheduled to take place from January 25 to February 2.

A total of 1,587 delegates who represent over 5.1 million Party members will attend the Congress, Hoang Binh Quan, head of the Central Commission for External Relations, said on Monday.

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