Despite the fact that Hanoi authorities closed all local pagodas in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, many visitors were still seen gathering at the shuttered temples for their Lunar New Year prayers and rituals.

As witnessed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper correspondents on Tuesday, the majority of shops and food stalls in Tay Ho District were closed.

Functional forces were present at the area to ensure adherence to the mass closure mandate.

Temples in the district, including Tran Quoc, Tay Ho, and Quan Thanh, have been shuttered since the late hours of Monday.

The closure, however, did not stop visitors from showing up at the venues for their Lunar New Year prayers.

Locked-out pilgrims also found ways to carry out rituals involved in a normal temple visit, with banknotes tucked in the gap of the temple gates while incense sticks were burnt right outside of the sites.

It was also noticed that several food stalls and coffee shops remained open on Tuesday morning and only closed when forced by functional forces.

Meanwhile, most food and beverage stalls in Dong Da, Hoan Kiem, and Hai Ba Trung Districts were closed in adhering to the capital's direction.

However, several places around Hoang Cau Lake and Hoan Kiem Lake remained open during the morning and only closed when reporters and officials showed up.

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