In the implementation of the Prime Minister’s direction on permitting foreigners to enter Vietnam to work for a short time, the Ministry of Health promulgated the Guidance on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control for foreigners entering Vietnam to work for a short term (less than 14 days)(attached to this Official Dispatch).

The Ministry of Health hereby requests ministries, ministerial-level agencies, and government-attached agencies and People s Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to implement the following contents:

1. To organize contents prescribed in the Guidance on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control for foreigners entering Vietnam to work for a short term (less than 14 days), ensuring safety, prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic.

2. To organize the inspection, supervision and evaluation of the implementation of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control while experts stay in Vietnam.

3. To report the implementation result to the Ministry of Health (the Health Environment Management Agency).

For further information, please contact the Health Environment Management Agency -  the Ministry of Health (Alley 8, Ton That Thuyet Street, Nam Tu Liem District, Hanoi Capital, phone number: 024 3227 2855, E-mail: baocaoytld@gmail.com).

Sincerely./.

The Acting Minister

Nguyen Thanh Long

GUIDANCE

ON COVID-19 EPIDEMIC PREVENTION AND CONTROL FOR FOREIGNERS ENTERING VIETNAM TO WORK FOR A SHORT TERM (LESS THAN 14 DAYS)
(Attached to the Official Dispatch No.4674/BYT-MT dated August 31, 2020)

I. OBJECTIVES

To actively prevent and control COVID-19 epidemic while foreigners enter Vietnam to work for a period of less than 14 days (hereinafter collectively referred to as work for a short time).

II. SUBJECTS OF APPLICATION

1. Foreigners entering Vietnam to work for a short time, including:

- Investors, experts, skilled workers, managers of enterprises and their relatives entering and subjects according to the agreement with each country (hereinafter referred to as experts);

- Persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes.

2. Persons in contact with experts and those who enter Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes during their entry and work in Vietnam.

III. GENERAL PRINCIPLES

- Ministries, branches and provincial/municipal People’s Committees shall consider their demand to invite experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes to work in Vietnam for a short term, and must ensure the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic.

- Not require to carry out concentrated quarantine for 14 days, but must strictly and fully comply with regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control, ensure safety for experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes and those who in contact with them, avoiding cross-contamination during their work and avoiding infection in the community.

- Those who in contact with experts and persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes must self-monitor their health in case of showing any of the following symptoms: Fever, cough, shore throat or shortness of breath, it is required to notify local management and health agencies.

- Accommodations for experts and persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes must comply with the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 878/QD-BYT dated March 12, 2020 on providing the “Guidance on quarantine in concentrated quarantine facilities for the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic” or the Ministry of Health’s Decision No. 1246/QD-BYT dated March 20, 2020 on providing the “Interim Guidance on concentrated quarantine at paid quarantine hotels in the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic”. To absolutely avoid cross-contamination at the accommodation and infection in the community.

- Experts and persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes must have international health insurance or organizations, agencies inviting such experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes must commit to pay treatment costs if such experts and persons are infected with COVID-19. Experts must enter Vietnam before the expected working time for 01 days to carry out regulations related to medical surveillance;

- All costs for the quarantine, transport vehicles and COVID-19 testing shall be paid by units and organizations inviting experts. Persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes shall be free from such costs (excluding costs for staying in paid quarantine hotels).

- After 14 days from the day of entry, if such experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes wish to continue staying in Vietnam to work and their SARS-CoV-2 test results are negative, they shall be allowed to continue working normally without quarantine.

IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR THE PREVENTION AND CONTROL OF COVID-19 EPIDEMIC

4.1. For experts on entry

4.1.1. Before entering Vietnam

- To make a specific plan on working, accommodations, transport vehicles and quarantine for experts, plan on ensuring safety of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control for experts and those who are in contact with them while working.

- For experts entering Vietnam for meeting, signing contracts, agreements, coordination, places of meeting, singing contracts and accommodation in provinces and cities having or near border gates of entry and exit shall be given priority to restrict such experts from entering to inland or traveling to many localities, affecting to the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic.

- Experts shall be tested with SARS-CoV-2 by Real time- PCR technique from 03 - 05 days before the day of entry to Vietnam and their test results must be negative with SARS-CoV-2. The SARS-CoV-2 test must be carried out in the competent health agencies’ laboratory.

4.1.2. At places of entry and exit

- To organize to separately receive experts on entry or exit: To separate them, avoid contacting with others.

- Experts must produce their SARS-CoV-2 testing results which are negative upon entry.

- To provide guidance, inspect and supervise the electronic health declaration of all experts, check their temperatures, screen to detect suspected cases. Upon detecting any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath, to immediately organize medical quarantine for such cases and treat them like suspected cases.

- Experts are required to use Bluezone application when staying in Vietnam.

- To organize the transportation of experts to their accommodations in accordance with Section 6, Part IV.

4.1.3. In accommodations

- To arrange separate rooms for experts at accommodations (hotels and accommodations arranged by enterprises or other accommodation establishments) arranged by the provincial People s Committee; to ensure the medical surveillance, not to contact with the community. All members in the expert team should be arranged to stay in the same accommodation for convenient monitoring and management.

- To arrange a separate room/area for taking SARS-COV-2 testing samples for all experts in their accommodations. The room/area for taking samples must be located at a separate and accessible area. In case of failing to arrange a separate room/area for taking samples, such samples could be taken in the expert’s room.

- To organize to take samples, carry out SARS-COV-2 test for all experts by RT-PCR technique when they arrive their accommodations. If their results are negative, they shall be considered and decided to work in localities. To take testing samples 02 times a day while the expert stays in Vietnam. In case the expert’s testing result is positive with SARS-CoV-2, the Guidance provided in the Appendix enclosed hereto shall be complied with.

- Testing samples shall be taken 01 day before experts leave Vietnam, to have a plan for quarantine and prevention for those in contact with such experts during working process when necessary.

4.1.4. At the meeting or signing place

Hotel and accommodation campuses shall be given priority when selecting places of meeting or signing session. To minimize the contact.

a) Before the meeting or signing session

- To make a list of participants (experts and those in contact with them), with sufficient information such as: full names, date of birth, citizenships, working addresses, accommodations/places of residence and contact numbers, e-mail.

- To arrange location for checking temperature for all participants (automatic temperature monitoring machines should be located at the entryway and exit way of the meeting or signing place).

- To arrange the place for washing hands with soap and clean water or hand sanitizer at meeting or signing rooms, public areas of the meeting or signing rooms and place of distributing medical masks for participants.

- To locate signboards or notices for information, guidance and warning participants about regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control (such as wearing masks, washing hands, keeping a minimum distance with others as prescribed, etc.).

- The meeting room, hall, meeting or signing place should be well ventilated, hygienic and disinfected according to the instructions in the attached Appendix.

- To arrange separate areas and seats for experts according to their countries. To place name and notice before each seat so that experts can actively have their seats.

- To arrange preventive meeting or signing rooms for replacing in case the official room is under quarantine for the epidemic prevention and control. To arrange meeting or signing rooms with Internet for experts when necessary.

- To arrange a working area for on-duty health staff at the meeting or signing place as prescribed.

- To arrange quarantine rooms at the meeting or signing place in case there is participant with any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, and sore throat, shortness of breath during the meeting or signing. The quarantine room must meet the following requirements:

+ To be located at a separate area, far from meeting, signing place and its public area. To arrange a separate way to the quarantine room.

+ To be well ventilated; to limit furniture in the room; have a mask, a place for hand washing with soap and clean water or a hand sanitizer containing at least 60% alcohol (hereinafter referred to as hand sanitizer); have waste bins with tight lids; have a separate toilet area.

- To formulate, print notices of guiding on the prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic and distribute them to participants of the meeting or signing session. Such notices must be in Vietnamese and English languages. In case of a bilateral meeting or signing session, the language written in such notices can be replaced by the language of country participating in the meeting or signing session.

- Not to arrange persons with any of the following symptoms: tiredness, cough, fever, sore throat and shortness of breath to serve the meeting or signing session.

b) During the meeting or signing session

- To transport experts from their accommodations to the meeting or signing place according to the instructions specified in Section 6, Part IV.

- To make a list of all participants, Organizing Committee, attendants, reporters, press agencies in all meeting or signing sessions or meeting or signing rooms for tracing when necessary.

- To check temperature, distribute masks for participants before the meeting or signing session.

- To distribute notices of guiding regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control for participants.

- To encourage no concentrated breaks; encourage to take an on-site break. To provide on-site beverage and drinking water for each participant at the arranged location.

- Eating during the meeting or signing session: On-site food portion for each individual is given priority. In case of gathering for eating, the minimum distance of 01 meter between each participant must be ensured; to ensure staggered sitting, not to seat opposite to each other.

- Attendants must wear masks and gloves during their task performance. To make and keep the list and contact addresses of all attendants at the meeting or signing session (for tracing when necessary).

- To clean and disinfect the meeting or signing place according to the instructions provided in the attached Appendix.

- To organize the inspection and supervision of the implementation of regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control at the meeting or signing place.

- To monitor experts’ health status and SARS-CoV-2 testing results.

c) After the meeting or signing session

All participants of the meeting or signing session (including international and domestic participants), Organizing Committee s members and relevant people shall continue to self-monitor their health status after finishing the meeting or signing session. If there is anyone who is detected to be infected with COVID-19 within 14 days after finishing the meeting or signing session:

- To notify local management agencies and health staff, for domestic participants and those in contact with experts.

- To notify organizations and agencies inviting experts so that such organizations and agencies notify for local health departments for timely solutions, for experts.

4.1.5. At working places and fieldwork sites

- To transport experts to fieldwork sites and working places according to the instructions provided in Section 6, Part IV.

- To arrange hand sanitizer at convenient areas of the working places and fieldwork sites.

- To minimize those in contact with experts at working places and fieldwork sites. Experts must wear masks during their work and fieldwork. To avoid shaking hands, regularly wash hands with hand sanitizer.

Those in contact with experts are required to wear masks and regularly wash hands with soap and clean water or hand sanitizer. To make a list of people in contact with experts during their work and fieldwork for tracing when necessary.

- To assign officers to support, monitor and supervise when experts perform their work and fieldwork.

- To locate separate toilet area for experts.

- When finishing the works and fieldwork: To disinfect working places and fieldwork sites according to the instructions provided in the attached Appendix.

4.1.6. Ensuring transport vehicles for experts

To organize the transportation for experts from the place of entry to their accommodations and during their stay in Vietnam by private vehicles according to the following requirements:

- Drivers and experts are required to wear masks during the transportation.

- To arrange hand sanitizer on vehicles, near doors so that experts can have their hand disinfected before getting on vehicles and during the transportation.

- To disinfect vehicles used for transporting experts according to the instructions specified in the attached Appendix.

4.2. For persons entering Vietnam for diplomatic and official purposes

- The requirements for COVID-19 epidemic prevention are basically the same as for experts.

- For VIP guests from Deputy Minister level or equivalent or higher: Not require to have a certificate of having negative result with SARS-CoV-2 upon entry; not require to install and use Bluezone application and not require to take SARS-CoV-2 test after entering Vietnam.

V. IMPLEMENTATION ASSIGNMENT

1. Ministries/branches

- To notify and guide affiliated agencies and organizations wishing to invite experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes to implement contents specified in this Guidance.

- To organize the inspection, supervision and evaluation of the implementation of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control while experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes stay in Vietnam.

- To report the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control the implementation when there is any problem.

2. Provincial-level People s Committees

- To notify and guide agencies and organizations located in provinces and centrally run cities that wish to invite experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes to implement contents specified in this Guidance.

- To arrange separate accommodations and working places, ensuring the medical surveillance, avoiding contact in the community. To approve the plan and vehicles of transporting, quarantine, measures for safe prevention and control of COVID-19 epidemic during the work process of experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes and those in contact with them.

- To assign the Health Departments of provinces and cities to act as the focal point for: Monitoring, carrying out medical surveillance and handling infected or suspected cases, provide guidance on hygiene, environmental disinfection while experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes stay in Vietnam; assigning departments/persons in charge of monitoring and carrying out medical surveillance at accommodations, meeting or signing places, working places and fieldwork sites; preparing establishments for receiving and treating infected cases.

- To organize the inspection, supervision and evaluation of the implementation of COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control while experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes stay in Vietnam.

- To report the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control the implementation when there is any problem.

3. Inviting agencies and organizations

- To prepare a specify plan of entry, transport vehicles, accommodations, meeting or signing places, working places and fieldwork sites for experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes, a plan on ensuring safety for experts and those who are in contact with them while working.

- To provide information and guide regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control specified in this Guidance and other relevant regulations of the Vietnamese Government.

- To comply with regulations prescribed in this Guidance.

- To report the provincial People s Committees/ministries and branches about the implementation.

4. For experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes

- To fully make electronic health declaration upon entry. To use Bluezone application when staying in Vietnam (except for VIP guests from Deputy Minister level or equivalent or higher).

- To fully comply with guidance and regulations on COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control prescribed in this Guidance and the Vietnamese Government s regulations.

- To self-monitor their health status on a daily basis, notify inviting agencies and organizations and health departments when having any of the following symptoms: fever, cough, sore throat, shortness of breath.

- To fully comply with personal hygiene measures, including:

+ Regularly washing hands with soap and clean water or hand sanitizer, especially before entering the meeting room, after and before eating.

+ Limiting to shake hands with others.

+ Not sharing personal belongings such as cup, water bottle and handkerchief, etc. with others.

- Not to leave the accommodation. To comply with the provided schedule of meeting, signing, working or fieldwork.

5. For those in close contact with experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes while staying in Vietnam.

5.1. To declare to the health agencies for recording information.

5.2. While contacting and working with experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes: To wear masks, wash hands, ensuring distance and comply with COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control regulations, self-monitor health status.

5.3. After contacting and working with experts and persons on entry for diplomatic and official purposes, they should self-monitor the health status, and continue to work normally, avoid contacting with the community within 14 days from the last day of contact.

5.4. If there is any of the following symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat or shortness of breath, it is required to carry out self-quarantine at accommodations, notify local health agencies or the Ministry of Health for advisement and examination and testing according to regulations of the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the Ministry of Health.

6. Units managing meeting, signing, working places or fieldwork sites

To formulate detailed plans and assign affiliated units and relevant individuals to prepare facilities, human resources, equipment and coordinate with relevant agencies in organizing the implementation of contents prescribed in Part IV for the COVID-19 epidemic prevention and control./. 

* All Appendices are not translated herein.