Passengers traveling by air, train and waterway will not be required to take COVID-19 tests if they have been fully vaccinated, injected the first shots for three weeks, or recovered from the disease within six months.

Illustrative photo (Source: VNA)

The Ministry of Health gave the suggestion in a document sent to the Ministry of Transport, commenting on a draft plan to resume passenger transport activities in localities where pandemic prevention measures have been eased. 

As per the document, businesses operating passenger transport services are asked to have plans for COVID-19 prevention and control as well as for tackling infection cases in line with regulations. They should have medical staff or a medical unit to coordinate with local health authorities to handle infection cases at workplaces.

The Ministry of Health proposed resuming public transport by road, train, inland waterway, and at sea operate in low- and medium-risk localities and regions; operate at or under 50 percent of their capacity in high-risk areas; and stop operations in extremely high-risk areas (except for taxi and app-based vehicles that offer less than nine seats and use vehicle partition and electronic payment).

Public transport vehicles must be equipped with hand sanitizers and face masks and be disinfected frequently, with their drivers and staff following the 5K principle and taking COVID-19 tests right after developing suspected symptoms.

Those serving in medium- and high-risk areas must be tested every seven days. Meanwhile, drivers in extremely high-risk locations must be fully vaccinated or recover from COVID-19 within six months and have a negative test result within 72 hours.

Source: VNA