A total of 15 provinces and cities have agreed to pilot the resumption of inter-provincial road passenger transport services, the Directorate for Road of Vietnam has said.

Illustrative image (Source: VNA)

According to the Directorate, another 15 provincial Departments of Transport are waiting for the approval from the provincial People’s Committees.

Many localities are reviewing the lists of drivers who have fully got two shots of COVID-19 vaccines, it added.

The Ministry of Transport on October 10 issued temporary regulations on piloting the resumption of inter-provincial road passenger transport activities from October 13 – 20, ensuring safe and flexible response to and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Transport service providers are requested to operate a maximum of 30 percent of the number of trips in seven days in accordance with the volume announced by the Departments of Transport. Regulations on distance between passengers must be applied.

For services from localities with low and normal risks to localities and areas of equivalent risks, transport activities shall take place normally.

Passengers are required to strictly comply with the 5K message of the Ministry of Health, comprising khau trang (face masks), khu khuan (disinfection), khoang cach (distancing), khong tu tap (no gatherings), and khai bao y te (health declarations).

Passengers traveling from a new normal and at-risk locality/area to a higher-risk locality/area comply with the “5K Message”; medical declaration according to regulations of the Ministry of Health, and do not join the trip when they have symptoms of cough, fever, shortness of breath, muscle aches, and sore throat.

Drivers, service staff working on vehicles are required to get full two shots of vaccines against COVID-19, or have certificates of recovery from COVID-19 within six months and have test results negative for SARS-CoV-2 by RT-PCR or antigen rapid test methods within 72 hours before boarding buses.

Source: VNA