Công văn 10943/BYT-MT

Pursuant to Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 of the Prime Minister on the provisional regulations on “Safety, flexibility, and effective control of COVID-19 epidemic”, the Ministry of Health (Representative Body of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control) has reviewed and developed the guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control regarding short-term work visits (less than 14 days) (enclosed herewith) of people who are eligible for entry into Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as "short-term visitors") in order to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control in accordance with the Prime Minister’s directive.

The Ministry of Health hereby requests that other Ministries, ministerial agencies, governmental agencies and the People’s Committees of provinces perform the following tasks:

1. Implement the tasks prescribed in the Guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control regarding short-term work visits (less than 14 days) of visitors who are eligible for entry into Vietnam in order to ensure the COVID-19 prevention, control, and safety.

2. Organize the inspection, supervision and evaluation of the performance of COVID-19 prevention and control tasks during visitors’ stay in Vietnam.

This Official Dispatch comes into force as of the date it is promulgated and replaces Official Dispatch No. 4674/BYT-MT dated August 30, 2020 of the Ministry of Health on the Guidance on COVID-19 prevention and control regarding short-term work visits (less than 14 days) of foreigners.

Sincerely./.

GUIDANCE

ON COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL REGARDING SHORT-TERM WORK VISITS (LESS THAN 14 DAYS) OF PEOPLE WHO ARE ELIGIBLE FOR ENTRY INTO VIETNAM
(Promulgated with Official Dispatch No. 10943/BYT-MT dated December 24, 2021)

I. PURPOSES

Prevent and control COVID-19 during short-term work visits (less than 14 days) of visitors eligible for entry into Vietnam (hereinafter referred to as "short-term visitors").

II. REGULATED ENTITIES

1. Short-term visitors include:

- Visitors who enter Vietnam for diplomatic or official purposes.

- Visitors who enter Vietnam not for diplomatic or official purposes (investors, experts, skilled-workers, managers of enterprises, business, commerce, market research, their families, and other persons under agreement with each specific country).

2. Contacts of short-term visitors during their stay in Vietnam.

III. GENERAL PRINCIPALS

1. Ministries, central authorities, the People’s Committees of provinces shall carefully consider the necessity of work visits of short-term visitors while ensuring COVID-19 prevention and control.

2. Quarantine is not mandatory upon their entry as long as regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control, approved schemes and plans, community contact rules are complied with and the safety of these short-term visitors and their contacts are ensured. Prevent cross-infection at their workplaces and community transmission. If a short-term visitor is expected to work at many administrative divisions, develop specific movement plans. Such plans shall be approved by the related local authorities.

3. Short-term visitors and their contacts shall fully comply with the 5K Rules, monitor their own health, and promptly inform the authorities and local healthcare facilities when having fever, cough, sore throat, or difficult breathing.

4. A list of contacts of short-term visitors during their process of working (at workplace/field) shall be made.

5. The lodging (hotels, lodging place arranged by an enterprise, other lodgings) of short-term visitors shall be comfortable with regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control and approved by the People’s Committees of the province. Effectively prevent cross-infection at their lodging and community transmission.

6. Short-term visitors shall have international health insurance or have an agreement with the inviting organization that the COVID-19 treatment cost will be paid by the inviting organization in case of infection.

7. The inviting organizations shall pay all of the cost for lodging, transport, and COVID-19 test in accordance with regulations. With regard to short-term visitors for diplomatic or official purposes, all of the costs shall be exempted (except for lodging cost if one wishes to stay in a hotel).

8. If the visitor wishes to stay in Vietnam to work after his/her short-term work visit, he/she shall comply with current regulations on entry and exit and regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control as follows:

- If the visitor has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or has recovered from COVID-19 [1]:

+ If his/her working period is shorter than 3 days from the date of entry, he/she shall monitor his/her health until the end of the 3rd day, shall not leave his/her lodging, shall not have contact with other people. He/she shall receive RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test on the 3rd day from the date of entry. If the result is negative, he/she shall continue monitoring his/her health for another 14 days and comply with the 5K Rules. In case of fever, sore throat, cough, difficult breathing, he/she shall promptly inform the local healthcare facility.

+ If his/her working period is longer than 3 days from the date of entry and has a negative result from RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test on the 3rd day, he/she shall continue monitoring his/her health for another 14 days and comply with the 5K Rules. In case of fever, sore throat, cough, difficult breathing, he/she shall promptly inform the local healthcare facility.

- If the visitor has not been vaccinated or fully vaccinated against COVID-19 :

+ If his/her working period is less than 7 days from the date of entry, he/she shall monitor his/her health until the end of the 7th day, shall not leave his/her lodging, shall not have contact with other people. He/she shall receive RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test on the 3rd and 7th day from the date of entry. If the result is negative, he/she shall continue monitoring his/her health for another 14 days and comply with the 5K Rules. In case of fever, sore throat, cough, difficult breathing, he/she shall promptly inform the local healthcare facility.

+ If his/her working period is longer than 7 days from the date of entry and has a negative result from RT-PCR SARS-CoV-2 test on the 7th day, he/she shall continue monitoring his/her health for another 14 days and comply with the 5K Rules. In case of fever, sore throat, cough, difficult breathing, he/she shall promptly inform the local healthcare facility.

- People who test positive for Covid-19 shall be handled as per regulations.

IV. COVID-19 PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES

4.1 Visitors who enter Vietnam not for diplomatic or official purposes.

4.1.1 Before entry

- The inviting organization shall make a list of visitors expected to enter Vietnam (full names, dates of birth, passport numbers, nationalities, number of COVID-19 vaccine shots , whether they have recovered from COVID-19, address, phone number, email, entry purpose, entry time, and lodging). The inviting organization shall make a commitment to ensure the Covid-19 safety when inviting short-term visitors into Vietnam and pay any treatment cost in case of infection. The inviting organization shall develop a plan for working, lodging, transport, and a COVID-19 prevention, control, and safety assurance plan during the short-term visitors’ working period. Such plans shall be presented to the People's Committee of the province for consideration and approval.

- A short-term visitor shall have:

+ A negative SARS-CoV-2 test result before entry [2]

+ An unexpired certificate of international health insurance or the inviting organization's commitment to pay for Covid-19 treatment in case of infection.

- If he/she has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or he/she used to be infected with SARS-CoV-2, he/she shall have certification documents in accordance with regulations¹.

- In case a visitor only enters Vietnam to participate in a meeting to conclude contracts or agreements, it is recommended to choose a meeting and lodging place in a bordering province to minimize the visitor’s inland travel through multiple provinces, which may cause difficulties to COVID-19 prevention and control tasks.

4.1.2. At the point of entry

- The visitor shall present:

+ A negative SARS-CoV-2 test result,

+ A COVID-19 vaccine certificate or a Covid-19 recovery certificate (if any) [3].

- The visitor shall comply with the 5K Rules, install and use the PC-COVID application during his/her stay in Vietnam.

- The inviting organization shall organize the transport of the visitors to their lodging according to a plan developed according to Part 4.1.6 Section IV.

4.1.3. At the lodging

a) The inviting organization shall provide separate lodging places for visitors in order for them to be conveniently supervised and managed.

b) The inviting organization shall prepare a separate room/area at the lodging place for collecting samples from all of the visitors for SARS-COV-2 testing. If such a separate sampling room/area samples is not available, samples may be collected at their rooms.

c) All samples shall be tested by RT- PCR/RT-LAMP techniques:

- With regard to visitors who have been fully vaccinated or have recovered from COVID-19: (i) if they stay for less than 3 days: test 1 time in the first day; (ii) if they stay for more than 3 days: test 2 times, on the first day and on the 3rd day.

- With regard to other cases: test 3 times, on the first, 3rd, and 7th day.

- If a visitor tests positive for SARS-CoV-2, follow instructions prescribed in the Appendix.

4.1.4. At meeting places

It is recommended to hold meetings at the hotel or lodging place and minimize direct contact.

a) Before the meeting

- Compile a list of participants in the meeting (the visitors and their contacts) including their full names, nationalities, workplace addresses, lodging places, phone numbers, and emails.

- Take body temperature of all participates. It is best to have an automatic thermometer at the entrance.

- Set up a hand washing station with clean water and soap or hand sanitizer at the meeting room and public area of the meeting place; hand out facemasks to the participants.

- Place signs or notices to instruct and remind participants of Covid-19 prevention and control regulations (wearing facemasks, washing hands, keeping safe distance, etc.)

- Ensure the meeting room is well ventilated and disinfected in accordance with the Appendix hereof.

- Arrange visitors’ seats according to their countries and groups of epidemiological factors. Each seat shall have a nameplate.

- Prepare a backup meeting room for use in case the main room has to be quarantined. The meeting room shall have online meeting devices for use by the visitors where necessary.

- Prepare an area for the medical unit at the meeting place.

- Prepare a quarantine room at the meeting place for quarantining any participant who has fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat or difficult breathing during the meeting. The quarantine room shall:

+ Be located in a separate area away from the meeting room and public areas thereof with a separate passage.

+ Be well ventilated; have little furniture; have facemasks and hand washing station with clean water and soap or sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol (hereinafter referred to as “hand sanitizer”) and a separate bathroom.

- Hand out instructions on Covid-19 prevention and control in both Vietnamese and English (or the language of the contracting country) to the participants.

- Request any attendant who has fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat or difficult breathing at the meeting to not work.

a) During the meeting

- Transport the visitors to the meeting place in accordance with the instructions prescribed in Part 4.1.6 Section IV.

- Compile a list of all participants, organizers, attendants, journalists who participate in each meeting session or are present in each room to serve contact tracing if necessary.

- Take body temperature and handout facemasks to all participants before the meeting begins.

- Hand out instructions on COVID-19 prevention and control regulations to the participants.

- Recommend participants to stay in their seat during breaks instead of gathering. Serve drinks to participants at their seats.

- Recommend participants to stay in their seat while eating. In case of eating in another room, maintain a distance of at least 1m between the participants; the seats shall be arranged alternatively instead of facing each other.

- Attendants shall wear facemasks and gloves while working. Compile and retain the list of all attendants of the meeting to facilitate contact tracing where necessary.

- Disinfect the meeting area in accordance with instructions in the Appendix hereof.

- Organize inspection and supervision of performance of COVID-19 prevention and control tasks at the meeting place.

- Monitor the health and SARS-CoV-2 test results of the visitors.

a) After the meeting

All participants in the meeting (including international and domestic participants), the organizers and relevant people shall self-monitor their health after the meeting ends. In case any of them is infected with Covid-19 within 14 days after the meeting ends:

- Inform the local government and local healthcare facility of the health status of domestic participants and contacts of the visitor.

- Inform the inviting organization, which will inform local health authorities for prompt reactions.

4.1.5. At the workplace/field

- Visitors may move and work according to the approved plan.

- Visitors are transported to the workplace/field according to instructions prescribed in Part 4.1.6 Section IV.

- Visitors are requested to self-monitor their health, wear facemasks, strictly comply with the 5K Rules, and use the PC-COVID application during their process of working in Vietnam.

- Hand sanitizers shall be available at convenient locations at the workplace/field.

- Medical workers shall be arranged to perform health monitoring throughout the visitors' time at the workplace/field (if any).

- Disinfect the workplace/field in accordance with instructions prescribed in the Appendix when the visitors complete their job.

- If any visitor has fever, cough, sore throat, or difficult breathing, follow the instructions prescribed in the Appendix hereof.

4.1.6. Transportation

The transport of visitors from the point of entry to their lodging and throughout their stay in Vietnam shall be done with dedicated vehicles and satisfy the following requirements:

- The driver and the visitors strictly comply with the 5K Rules and wear facemasks throughout the trip.

- Hand sanitizer is provided near the vehicle doors for use before entering the vehicle and during the trip.

- The vehicle is disinfected in accordance with instructions prescribed in the Appendix hereof.

4.2. With regard to visitors who enter Vietnam for diplomatic or official purposes

- The same basic COVID-19 prevention and control measures shall be implemented as those applied to visitors. However, installation of PC-COVID application by visitors who enter Vietnam for diplomatic or official purposes is optional.

- SARS-CoV-2 negative results, installation of PC-Covid-19 application, Covid-19 tests upon entry are not mandatory for visitors that are VIPs with the rank of Deputy Minister or higher, guest delegations on official visits to Vietnam according to the invitation of the Head of the Communist Party, State, Government, the Minister of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, or ministries, central authorities,.

V. IMPLEMENTATION DUTIES

1. The People’s Committees of provinces shall:

- Inform and instruct organizations in their provinces that wish to invite short-term visitors into Vietnam to implement the instructions herein.

- Arrange isolated lodging places and workplaces; maintain health monitoring and their isolation from the community. Consider approving the plan for receipt, transport, quarantine, and prevention of Covid-19 infection for the visitors and their contacts throughout the visitors' stay .

- Inspect, supervise, evaluate the performance of COVID-19 prevention and control implementation during short-term visitors’ stay in Vietnam.

- Submit reports to the National Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control of the issues that occur.

2. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs shall:

- Provide guidelines for inspection and recognition of the COVID-19 vaccination certificate, Covid-19 recovery certificate, or other equivalent documents of foreign countries.

- Provide information and guidelines for Foreign Representative Missions in Vietnam and relevant agencies on regulations on visitors who enter Vietnam for diplomatic or official purposes.

3. Ministries and central authorities shall:

- Inform and instruct their affiliated organizations that wish to invite short-term visitors into Vietnam to implement the instructions herein.

- Inspect, supervise, evaluate the performance of COVID-19 prevention and control implementation during short-term visitors’ stay in Vietnam.

- Submit reports to the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of the issues that occur.

4. Department of Health of provinces, centrally affiliated cities shall:

- Maintain health monitoring, handle COVID-19 infected cases or suspected cases, and provide guidelines for environmental hygiene, disinfection during short-term visitors' stay in Vietnam;

- Assign a unit/person in charge of health monitoring at short-term visitors’ lodging place, meeting place, workplace/field;

- Prepare facilities that admit and treat COVID-19 infected cases.

5. Inviting organizations shall:

- Develop plans for the receipt, transport, lodging, meeting place, workplace/field of the short-term visitors; ensure the safety of short-term visitors and their contacts with them in according to the approved plan. Pay relevant costs in accordance with regulations.

- Provide information and instructions on COVID-19 prevention and control in this document and other relevant regulations of the Government of Vietnam.

- Strictly follow the instructions herein.

- Submit reports on the implementation of this Guidance to the People's Committee of the province/Ministry/central authority.

6. Short-term visitors shall:

- Make electronic health declaration upon entry. Use the PC-COVID application throughout the stay in Vietnam (excluding visitors who enter Vietnam for diplomatic or official purposes).

- Strictly comply with the instructions and regulations on COVID-19 prevention and control and other regulations of the Government of Vietnam.

- Self-monitor health; immediately inform the inviting agency or organization and health agency when having fever, cough, sore throat, or difficult breathing.

- Fully practice personal hygiene and comply with the 5K Rules when participating in activities.

- Perform the schedule of meetings, work/field trips in accordance with the approved plan.

7. People who have close contact with the short-term visitors during their stay in Vietnam shall:

- Make declaration with the health authority.

- Strictly comply with the 5K Rules and self-monitor health when having contact or working with short-term visitors.

- Self-monitor health for 14 days starting from the last day of contact with the short-term visitors. Report to the local health agency or the Ministry of Health when having fever, cough, sore throat, or difficult breathing in order to receive advice, test, and examination in accordance with regulations of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control, and the Ministry of Health.

8. The unit in charge of the meeting place/workplace/field shall:

Develop a detailed plan, assign specific preparation tasks to affiliated units and relevant individuals, and cooperate with relevant authorities in implementing the instructions in Section IV to ensure the COVID-19 prevention and control./.

APPENDIX

1. What to do when a visitor or his/her contact is infected or suspected of COVID-19 infection (hereinafter referred to as "cases") during the visitor's stay in Vietnam.

1.1. When there is a case that has fatigue, fever, cough, sore throat, difficult breathing.

- Inform the unit/person in charge of health monitoring at the lodging/meeting place/workplace/field. Call the hotline of the Department of Health or Ministry of Health (1900 9095) or the local health authority for advice. If necessary, go to a healthcare facility for examination and treatment.

- Provide facemasks and instructions on how to wear facemasks correctly.

- Minimize that person’s contact with other people.

- Bring the person who has fever, cough, sore throat, or difficult breathing to the temporary quarantine room and handle as for a COVID-19 suspected case in accordance with regulations.

1.2. When there is a confirmed case of COVID-19

In case a visitor tests positive for SARS-CoV-2 during his/her stay in Vietnam:

- Immediately inform the local health authority for isolation and treatment in accordance with regulations of the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Health.

- Clean and disinfect the patient’s lodging place, meeting place, workplace/field in accordance with Section 2 of the Appendix hereof.

2. Environmental disinfection

2.1. Disinfecting vehicles for transport of visitors

- The vehicle shall be disinfected after each trip as follows: put on a cloth common detergent such as (i) multipurpose cleaner, (ii) disinfectant that contains 0,1% active chlorine, or (iii) 70% alcohol; clean the surfaces from clean to dirty areas, from inside to outside, and from top to bottom. The minimum isolation time after disinfection is 30 minutes. Dirty surfaces must be cleaned with soap and clean water before disinfection.

- Surfaces that need disinfecting: Frequently touched objects such as door handles, seats, windows, handles, floor, air conditioners, and other frequently touched objects.

- Increase ventilation on the vehicle by opening windows, using fans or other methods. Frequently clean the ventilation system, fans, and air conditioners.

- Provide sufficient trash bags; collect, and treat them every day in accordance with regulations.

2.2. Disinfecting at the meeting place

a) The meeting place and/or room shall be disinfected daily as follows:

- Disinfect using (i) multipurpose cleaner, (ii) disinfectant that contains 0,1% active chlorine, or (iii) 70% alcohol. Prepare enough disinfectant for the day. Use 70% alcohol to clean the surfaces of electronic devices that are small or susceptible to chemical corrosion. The minimum isolation time after disinfection is 30 minutes.

- It is best to rub and leave the surfaces to dry naturally. Dirty surfaces must be cleaned with soap or clean water before disinfection.

- Wear gloves, facemasks, protective clothing while cleaning and disinfecting.

- The following places shall be disinfected: meeting room, cafeteria, elevator, waiting hall, public bathroom, dining room (if any), and other public areas.

- Frequency of disinfection:

+ The floor, walls, touched objects in the meeting room: at least 1 time/day.

+ Frequently touched objects such as elevator buttons, door handles, meeting table surface, seats (especially the armrests), microphones, shared keyboards, buttons, handrails, public bathroom and other frequently touched objects: at least 2 times/day

b) Increase ventilation in the meeting room/area, corridor, waiting hall, elevator by opening doors, windows, using fans or other methods.

c) Provide sufficient lined trash bins with a lid in convenient positions. Waste shall be collected for treatment every day in accordance with regulations.

2.3. Disinfecting the workplace/field

- Disinfect the workplace/field in accordance with regulations after the short-term visitors leave the place.

2.4. Disinfection when a person is confirmed to have COVID-19 infection (hereinafter referred to as "confirmed case")

Follow the instructions in Official Dispatch No. 1560/BYT-MT dated March 25, 2020 of the Ministry of Health on guidelines for decontamination of communities with COVID-19 cases or other guidelines of the National Steering Committee or the Ministry of Health (if any), and the following instructions:

a) Areas that need disinfecting

All areas where the confirmed case was present shall be disinfected, including:

- At the meeting place: The entire meeting room, reception room (if any); corridors, the passage to the meeting room, elevator, waiting hall, bathroom, and other public areas of the meeting place at which the confirmed case was present.

- At the lodging place: The confirmed case’s room; outer walls of that room, corridors, the passage to that room, staircase, elevator, waiting hall, bathroom and other public areas of the lodging place.

- The vehicle that transports the confirmed case: all touched surfaces such as door handles, seats, windows, handles, floor, and other frequently touched objects.

b) Disinfection rules

- Rubbing is recommended. Dirty surfaces must be cleaned with soap and clean water before disinfection.

- Disinfectants: Prepare sufficient amount of disinfectant that contains 0,1% active chlorine for the day. Use 70% alcohol to clean the surfaces of electronic devices that are small or susceptible to chemical corrosion.

- The minimum isolation time after disinfection is 30 minutes.

- Fully wear personal protective equipment (PPE) during the disinfection process.

c) Disinfection and environmental remediation measures:

- Implement disinfection measures at the meeting place, lodging place, and vehicle of the confirmed case in accordance with the instructions of Official Dispatch No. 1560/BYT-MT dated March 25, 2020 of the Ministry of Health.

- Food and drink containers; cloths (such as table linen) at the confirmed case's meeting place, lodging place shall be collected and handled in accordance with instructions of the Ministry of Health.

- All trash in the confirmed case’s meeting room, lodging room, vehicle shall be collected and treated as infectious waste. Put the trash into a yellow bag, tie it up, and put it into another yellow bag and tie it up. All yellow bags shall have the label “CHẤT THẢI CÓ NGUY CƠ CHỨA SARS-CoV-2” (“Potentially Contain SARS-CoV-2 Infection”) and be treated in accordance with regulations./.

[1] (i) A visitor who has been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 according to the instructions of each licensed vaccine (the last dose of vaccine must have been administered for at least 14 days and not exceeding 12 months at the time of entry) and has a vaccination certificate/vaccine passport that has been recognized by Vietnam (or legalized/confirmed at the competent agency if such certificate/passport has not been recognized in Vietnam). (ii) A visitor who used to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 (has a certificate of a positive test for SARS-CoV-2 conducted by RT-PCR method which was issued within the last 6 months) and has been recovered SARS-CoV-2 (has a COVID-19 recovery certificate or equivalent documents issued by the competent agency of the country/territory in which he/she is treated).

[2] A visitor must have a negative SARS-CoV-2 test result (by RT-PCR/RT-LAMP method) within 72 hours before entry into Vietnam and be certified by the competent agency of the country that tested that person.

[3] (i) The inspection and recognition of foreign COVID-19 vaccine certificates, foreign COVID-19 recovery certificate (or foreign vaccine passports) shall be conducted according to instructions of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; (ii) The inspection and recognition of COVID-19 vaccine certificates, COVID-19 recovery certificate in Vietnam shall be conducted according to instructions of the Ministry of Health.