Overcrowding amid pandemic leads to closure of bars, karaoke parlors in Hanoi

Hanoi has shut certain bars and karaoke parlors deemed too crowded amid the Covid-19 pandemic, a mere week after their reopening.

After the capital allowed bars and karaoke parlors to reopen starting September 16, following their closure on August 1 to prevent the coronavirus from spreading, customers had inundated certain premises, including those on the popular beer street Ta Hien, an official from the downtown Hoan Kiem District told an online meeting on Covid-19 prevention in Hanoi on Wednesday.

District authorities had requested these bars and karaoke parlors be temporarily closed to amp up Covid-19 prevention measures, Vietnam News Agency reported the representative as saying.

Nguyen Khac Hien, director of the Hanoi Department of Health, said people have been careless of late when it came to Covid-19 prevention.

« Many people no longer wear masks when going out. Food related businesses have forgone Covid-19 prevention measures. If the situation isn’t brought under control, it could be disastrous. As the Mid-Autumn Festival (which peaks on October 1) draws close, young people are gathering in increasingly large numbers. As such, units need to pay special attention to Covid-19 prevention, » he said.

Ngo Van Quy, deputy chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee, has asked authorities to continue reminding people to stay vigilant and wear masks when venturing out, as well as monitoring and punishing any violations.

Bars, karaoke parlors and clubs across the city need to be screened for both disease and fire hazard prevention, he added.

Hanoi had allowed karaoke parlors, bars and clubs to reopen after recording no community transmissions since August 19.

Its iconic walking street and relevant surroundings were also reopened on September 18, after closing on August 21.

Since the beginning of Vietnam’s second coronavirus wave in July, Hanoi has recorded 39 cases and no death.

Vietnam reported 1,068 Covid-19 cases so far, 50 still active. A total 35 people have succumbed to the disease, many being elderly patients suffering underlying conditions like diabetes and kidney failure.

No local transmission has been recorded nationally for nearly three weeks.

By Phan Anh – VnExpress.net – September 23, 2020