Da Nang leaders on Tuesday afternoon announced the lifting of more COVID-19 restrictions starting from 8:00am tomorrow, September 16, following a significant drop in daily new COVID-19 cases and the expansion of green zones.

Da Nang Party Committee Secretary Nguyen Van Quang (left) and Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh (right) on Tuesday afternoon announced that further changes to COVID-19 restrictions will come into effect from September 16 until further notice. Photo: PHAN CHUNG

Municipal People's Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh stated that Da Nang has got positive signs in its fight against the deadly disease with many consecutive days of falls in the number of new infections. He called on officials to take a more cautious approach over lifting restrictions, and keep the recommended COVID-19 control measures in place.

Chairman Chinh remarked that Ngu Hanh Son District is the first in Da Nang to be put on the city’s green zone district-wise list as all its 4 wards have marked 14 days without any community transmission and have been classified as green zones.

The municipal government leader highlighted need to speed up vaccinations as well as ramp up tracing and testing efforts to find hidden infections in a bid to contain the spread of the virus.

Red, yellow and green zones that's how areas across Da Nang are being classified as the city enters new phase of its battle against the novel coronavirus pandemic. The Da Nang government has moved to a zone-wise classification system for this period.

Further changes to COVID-19 restrictions which were imposed on September 3 by the Da Nang government will come into force from 8:00am on September 13 until further notice. Although more restrictions will be lifted, other regulations will remain in place.

Da Nang will also relax workplace measures to allow more people to return to offices as the city gets its virus situation under control.

Red Zones: Total lockdown order will be imposed on all residents in these areas for 14 days, and the focus will be on strengthening measures to stop the spread of virus.  

Yellow Zones: Further relaxation measures will allow residents in these zones to leave home for certain activities.

Accredited selling points for food and essential goods will be allowed to open. Only one family member will be allowed to go food shopping every 5 days in accordance with permitted dates on their QR code cards.

Further relaxation measures will also allow for the reopening of shops for building materials, stationery, computers, animal feeds, agricultural seeds and agricultural equipment, technical services, electrical and water system repairs, publishing establishments. However, only 50% of employees will be allowed to return to work on-site at these venues.

Residents will be only permitted to go such establishments within their village and their residential group. They must ask for permit from their local authorities if they want to travel outside their village and residential group.

The relaxation measures will also allow for car and bike repair service, postal and telecommunications services, along with press agencies to full return with employees.

70% of employees will be allowed to return to the workplace at banks, ports, the airport, the railway station, and the Road Maintenance Division.

50% of employees will be allowed to return to work on businesses providing water, gas, electricity and fuel services along with other services such as securities, auditing, secured transactions, insurance, professional security guard, notary, lawyer, auctioneer, bailiff, commercial arbitration, legal advice, asset liquidation, and judicial expertise.

Companies operating in industrial parks with below 100 employees will be allowed to full return with workers while others with over 100 employees will be required to arrange only 70% of employees at work. However, such large companies will be permitted to increase number of employees to work on-site with the adoption of the stay-at-work solution.

70% of staff can be at the workplace at one time in government agencies and departments (except for forces who are on the frontlines in the fight against COVID-19 such as police and military personnel, healthcare workers, and steering committees for COVID-19 prevention and control at all levels). If all staff members of agencies and department have received the full two-dose course of a vaccine, they will be allowed to full return.

Construction sites of development projects will be allowed to full return with workers but the adoption of the stay-at-home solution made mandatory for immigrant workers.

Green Zones: These zones are COVID-19 free areas, and areas will be declared as Green Zones after seeing at least 14 consecutive days without new infections. Permitted activities in Green Zones are the same as Yellow Zones.

Further relaxation measures will also allow for more activities and services to resume operations.

Supermarkets, convenience stores, and traditional markets will be allowed to sell directly to residents in green and inter-green zones. Only one family member can go food shopping every 3 days in accordance with permitted dates on their QR code cards.

Only one family member will be allowed to go shopping or use services at shops for building materials, stationery, computers, animal feeds, agricultural seeds and agricultural equipment, technical services, electrical and water system repairs, publishing establishments within their green and inter-green zones.

Residents can leave their home for the purposes of exercise within their green zone between 5:00 am and 7:00 am, between 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm but they are required to keep a 2 metre distance from others while outside their home.

Eating and drinking establishments will be allowed only for offering delivery and takeaway services while ban on indoor table service remains in effect.

The Da Nang leaders are calling for continued efforts from competent agencies to issue travel permits to eligible individuals and organizations.

The taskforce at checkpoints across the city will continue tightening controls and checks on road users to keep people off the streets for non-essential activity and take action against COVID-19 rule violators.

Reporting by PHAN CHUNG – Translating by H.L