A countdown event to mark the 2022 New Year will be organized in downtown Ho Chi Minh City on December 31 if the city is at low or medium risk of COVID-19 transmission, according to a plan unveiled by the municipal People’s Committee on Monday.

The countdown will be organized at President Ho Chi Minh Statue Park on Nguyen Hue Street and Le Duan Street.

Functional forces will start blocking traffic on the section of Le Duan Street that begins from its intersection with Pasteur Street to the junction with Nam Ky Khoi Nghia Street from December 25 to January 1 to facilitate the preparations for the countdown party.

Authorities in District 12, Tan Phu District, Binh Tan District, Binh Chanh District, Hoc Mon District, Cu Chi District, Nha Be District, and Can Gio District as well as the Ho Chi Minh City Youth Union will hold other celebrations featuring art performances on the night of December 31 and January 1.

The city will also organize sports activities, such as the ninth Ho Chi Minh City Marathon in 2022 in District 7 and a bicycle race on Mai Chi Tho Avenue.

The municipal People’s Committee requires local authorities and event organizers to ensure the prevention and control of COVID-19 during the organization of the aforementioned programs.

If the city is at high or very high risk of COVID-19 transmission, departments, agencies, organizations, and grassroots-level authorities should proactively adjust or cancel those events.

The municipal Department of Culture and Sports is expected to announce another plan for New Year fireworks displays and Christmas celebrations on Thursday, according to Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the city's Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control.

Ho Chi Minh City has documented more than 495,300 COVID-19 infections since the fourth virus wave hit Vietnam on April 27.

Over eight million adults out of nine million people of the city have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine shot, with more than 6.9 million of them fully vaccinated, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!