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Coronavirus-free requirement restricts interprovincial travels in Vietnam

Coronavirus-free requirement restricts interprovincial travels in Vietnam

Friday, July 09, 2021, 11:46 GMT+7
Coronavirus-free requirement restricts interprovincial travels in Vietnam
An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Interprovincial travelers in many parts of Vietnam, especially in the southern region, were roadblocked by requirements to present papers proving that they are negative for the novel coronavirus in order to continue their journeys.

Travel struggles could be seen on many major routes in and out of Ho Chi Minh City on late Thursday afternoon, a few hours before the southern metropolis enacted a new social distancing order in a bid to curb the spread of COVID-19, starting from Friday.

On the section of National Highway 1 connecting Long An Province and Ho Chi Minh City, Vo Hoai An, one of three commuters interviewed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper, gave up hope of returning to his hometown in Dong Thap Province after being unable to provide officers at a medical checkpoint with a coronavirus-negative certificate.

“It’s already too late in the afternoon to go to any hospitals and get a test,” An said. 

“I have no choice but to go back to the city now. 

"I’m not sure what I will do for the next few days because I can’t do business during the social distancing period.”

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a driver on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, July 9, 2021. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a driver on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway, July 9, 2021. Photo: Minh Hoa / Tuoi Tre

That same afternoon, at the COVID-19 checkpoint near the entrance to the Cat Lai Ferry, which connects Ho Chi Minh City with Dong Nai Province, people waited to have coronavirus-negative certificates checked by officers.

Many people from Ho Chi Minh City were instructed to turn back for not having the required certificate.

The same situation happened at the COVID-19 checkpoint at the tollgate on the Ho Chi Minh City - Long Thanh - Dau Giay Expressway in Thu Duc City during the early hours of Friday.

As the expressway is a major route between Ho Chi Minh City and other provinces, officers handled each situation on a case-by-case basis.

“For example, a driver carrying vegetables and fruits from Da Lat to Ho Chi Minh City did not have a negative test certificate, but it would be too unreasonable to make him return,” said Senior Colonel Nguyen Van Binh, deputy head of the Road and Railway Traffic Police Department in Ho Chi Minh City, as he expressed the understanding for the over-300km distance between the two places.

“I have to be flexible when I can.”

Commuters wait to have their coronavirus-negative certificates checked at the entrance to Cat Lai Ferry in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, July 8, 2021. Photo: Duc Phu / Tuoi Tre

Commuters wait to have their coronavirus-negative certificates checked at the entrance to Cat Lai Ferry in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, July 8, 2021. Photo: Duc Phu / Tuoi Tre

Vietnam has been battling its worst wave of coronavirus since April 27.

The Ministry of Health reported 425 new local coronavirus cases on Friday morning, including 350 patients in Ho Chi Minh City, taking the caseload to 24,810 infections.

Up to 21,284 cases, or over 85 percent of the tally, have been recorded in the ongoing round.  

Recoveries and deaths remain at 8,950 and 105, respectively.

Commuters wait to have their coronavirus-negative certificates checked at the entrance to Cat Lai Ferry in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, July 8, 2021. Photo: Duc Phu / Tuoi Tre

Commuters wait to have their coronavirus-negative certificates checked at the entrance to Cat Lai Ferry in Dong Nai Province, Vietnam, July 8, 2021. Photo: Duc Phu / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Kim Hanh returns to Ho Chi Minh City to test for COVID-19 and shows the virus-free certificate to officers at a medical checkpoint on National Highway 1 to continue his trip to Soc Trang Province, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

Kim Hanh returns to Ho Chi Minh City to test for COVID-19 and shows the virus-free certificate to officers at a medical checkpoint on National Highway 1 to continue his trip to Soc Trang Province, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer turns a commuter away for not having a coronavirus-negative certificate on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer turns a commuter away for not having a coronavirus-negative certificate on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

An officer checks a coronavirus-negative certificate belonging to a commuter on National Highway 1, July 8, 2021. Photo: Le Phan / Tuoi Tre

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