Omicron to not impact Vietnam's roadmap to re-open international commercial flights

Vietnamese authorities are determined to go ahead with the December 15 opening plan

Almost all ministries and relevant authorities agreed with the plan to resume international flights from December 15 at the meeting hosted by Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The consensus came as the pandemic remains under control and vaccination rate is increasing across the country.

To date, 97 per cent of Vietnamese people from the age of 18 have received the first shot of the vaccine, and 70 per cent have received two doses.

6.2 million doses have been injected in 55 cities and provinces to people aged 12-17.

The statistics published by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism show that Vietnam has welcomed 1,179 international tourists in its pilot vaccine passport programme. By the end of December, the figure will increase to 15,000.

Deputy Minister of Health Do Xuan Tuyen said that resuming international flights is necessary for socio-economic recovery and also meets the need of the people, particularly overseas Vietnamese who want to return to their home country on the upcoming Lunar New Year.

“Besides, re-opening international flights will allow investors and foreign experts to arrive Vietnam to start business or study investment opportunities,” Tuyen said.

Speaking at the regular government press conference on December 2, Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Ngoc Dong said that under the original plan submitted to the PM on November 8, flights to Japan, the Republic of Korea, and 10 other countries would be reopened in three stages, each with a specific roadmap and pandemic prevention measures.

Dong added that talks with relevant countries are underway based on the set roadmaps, but due to the emergence of the new coronavirus variant, countries have become more cautious.