HCMC – Children under 12 who do not reside in areas at extremely high risk of Covid-19 transmission or under lockdown will no longer have to take a Covid test before flying, according to the latest regulations of the Transport Ministry.
The ministry yesterday, January 21, decided to relax anti-Covid requirements for air passengers and cabin crew members on domestic flights.
Under the new regulations, which came into effect starting today, only air passengers from areas at extremely high risk of Covid transmission or under lockdown have to show proof of a negative rapid/PCR Covid test taken within 72 hours before departure.
Other passengers will not have to show proof of full vaccination, that they have recovered from a prior Covid infection or a negative test. This means that children under 12 who are not from the areas mentioned above will not be tested for Covid before flying.
Besides, the ministry scrapped the testing mandate for pilots and flight attendants.
The ministry still requires air passengers to make health declarations and use the PC-Covid mobile app. Those who develop symptoms of Covid such as coughing, fever, shortness of breath, muscle pain, sore throat and loss of taste will be banned from flying.
These new regulations were issued after the Covid situation nationwide was brought under control, and the country achieved a very high vaccination rate.
As of January 19, Vietnam had administered over 172 million Covid vaccine doses, according to a report of the Health Ministry.
Further, the new regulations will also create favorable conditions for local residents to travel during the upcoming Lunar New Year.
