Passengers at Noi Bai International Airport in Vietnam’s Hanoi capital will not be allowed to board planes if they have a body temperature of over 37.5 degrees Celsius after three measurements, according to a new COVID-19 prevention rule.

The new rule came after the Ministry of Transport issued a temporary regulation, effective from October 21 to 30, that passengers with COVID-19 symptoms, such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing, are not qualified for boarding, the airport authority said on Friday.

Accordingly, passengers will undergo three body temperature checks by automatic devices from their arrival at the airport until their boarding time. 

The first check will be performed at the gates of Terminal T1 and passengers who have a fever of over 37.5 degrees Celsius will have their body temperature measured for the second time five minutes later. 

If the fever persists after the second measurement, they will undergo the third one after the same interval of time.

This image shows an automatic body temperature measuring device at the Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo: Noi Bai International Airport

Should the last measurement show the same result, they will be not allowed to proceed with check-in procedures and will be reported to the airport’s on-duty medical team for subsequent epidemic prevention steps.  

Passengers passing the first check will later undergo the second one at pre-flight security screening points, where automatic infrared thermometers will check their body temperatures and hand sanitizers are available for mandatory use.    

The last check will be carried out similarly at the gates leading to the aircraft area.  

Currently, the airport has installed infrared thermometers combined with hand sanitizers at seven gates to the aircraft areas and is continuing to equip the remaining ones with the same devices.

Passengers are required to make health declarations via the PC-COVID app on their smartphones as part of the requirements for their flights.

While performing check-in procedures, passengers must fill in a designated form of commitment on COVID-19 prevention and control and submit it to the carrier representatives. 

Along with identification papers, they should bring along COVID-19 vaccination certificates with the second shot given at least 14 days but no longer than 12 months before departure, proofs of COVID-19 recovery for no longer six months before flight dates, and certificates of negative tests for coronavirus within 72 hours before flight time.

Since the pandemic hit Vietnam in early 2020, Hanoi has documented 4,339 infection cases, including 38 fatalities.

Nationwide, 881,522 COVID-19 cases, including 803,326 recoveries and 21,543 deaths, have been recorded in 62 out of its 63 cities and provinces, except Cao Bang.

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