Face masks mandatory in Vietnam -- 09/2022

[ExPenhMan]

Here's a bona fide head smacker. I had to double check the date of publication, thinking I had stepped back in time to 2020. But sure enough, published today, the VN Health Ministry says face masks are now mandatory -- everywhere. No basis was given for the change.

I can hear the sound of clicks on the Cancel buttons around the world. No way are tourists going to come from maskless North Am, Europe and Australia, NZ. Vietnam, already with poor visa products, now will likely post its worst ever "high season" numbers and won't come anywhere near its goal of 5 million.

Looking at this announcement over again and again, I'm still finding it hard to believe. But anyway, here it is.

Headline: Face mask in public places now a must: Ministry

From Saigon Online:

According to the Ministry of Health’s guidelines, people must wear face masks in public places.

The Ministry yesterday issued guidelines for the use of masks to prevent the Covid-19 epidemic in public places. Accordingly, the Ministry of Health affirmed that wearing face masks in public places - an individual preventive measure - will help to reduce the spread of the Covid-19 epidemic in the community, protecting people's health, especially people in high-risk groups such as people with underlying diseases, the elderly, immunocompromised people, and obese people.

According to the guidelines, a public place is understood as a place that serves many people in closed spaces such as theaters, cinemas, discos, and restaurants, or places with open spaces such as stadiums, parks, bus stations, and piers.

On that basis, wearing face masks is mandatory for people with symptoms of acute respiratory infection, people with or suspected of having Covid-19; all subjects (except children under 5 years old) when going to a public place in an area that has been declared an epidemic level 3 (high risk) or level 4 (very high risk).

Along with that, the Ministry of Health also stipulated wearing masks in specific places such as medical facilities, medical isolation places, and accommodations where someone is in medical isolation or is under medical observation and supervision. Moreover, the Ministry’s regulation is applicable to people using public transport, drivers, people serving on public transport, service staff, managers, and workers at train stations, bus stations, and docks when in direct contact with passengers.

Service staff, managers and workers at trade centers, supermarkets, and wholesale markets ought to don face masks when in direct contact with customers. People must wear face masks at places with closed spaces, and poorly ventilated namely bars, discos, karaoke, massage and beauty service establishments, gyms, bodybuilding establishments, and food and drink service establishments served on-site.

https://www.sggpnews.org.vn/health/face ... 01768.html

There's a similar story in Vietnam Plus:

https://en.vietnamplus.vn/covid19-healt ... 236939.vnp

[Ong Tay]

Masks have continued to be mandatory in public spaces here, indoors or out -- nothing has changed. When I go to the supermarket, nearly everyone wears a mask. Ride a taxi, mask. Recent domestic flight - masked. The office building in which I work also requires them, but the company which employs me does not.

While most locals wear masks outside too, compliance is dropping. Plus, I've seen plenty of tourists not wearing them outside, but haven't read any reports of any be harangued about it.

[ExPenhMan]

These fresh stories on mask mandates make me question why they were published if it's already mandatory. Could be a translation error or two. But videos on Nguyen Hue mall over the past couple of months show many locals not wearing a mask.

When I was in Vung Tau in May, there was a preponderance of mask wearers among locals, which could speak to the pre-pandemic wearing of masks anyway. But many bar and hotel staff did not and foreigners rarely wore them outdoors. After a couple of days, I stopped wearing one because few others did.

Anyway, it's all very odd that we're getting multiple news stories on mask wearing.

[Freightdog]

The announcement (statement in quotes). Only stipulates certain areas. It doesn’t quite read as being mandatory, everywhere. However, I know nothing of Vietnam, so if the locations mentioned do infact account for all public space, then so be it.

The two parts that I pick out of that statement are these-

On that basis, wearing face masks is mandatory for people with symptoms of acute respiratory infection, people with or suspected of having Covid-19; all subjects (except children under 5 years old) when going to a public place in an area that has been declared an epidemic level 3 (high risk) or level 4 (very high risk).

And

Along with that, the Ministry of Health also stipulated wearing masks in specific places such as medical facilities, medical isolation places, and accommodations where someone is in medical isolation or is under medical observation and supervision. Moreover, the Ministry’s regulation is applicable to people using public transport, drivers, people serving on public transport, service staff, managers, and workers at train stations, bus stations, and docks when in direct contact with passengers.

Service staff, managers and workers at trade centers, supermarkets, and wholesale markets ought to don face masks when in direct contact with customers. People must wear face masks at places with closed spaces, and poorly ventilated namely bars, discos, karaoke, massage and beauty service establishments, gyms, bodybuilding establishments, and food and drink service establishments served on-site.

So, again, it doesn’t read as mandatory, everywhere. Only in certain high risk scenarios. As I may be weighing up the options of heading that way soon, I do need to clarify this, though.

[Ong Tay]

These fresh stories on mask mandates make me question why they were published if it's already mandatory. Could be a translation error or two. But videos on Nguyen Hue mall over the past couple of months show many locals not wearing a mask.

When I was in Vung Tau in May, there was a preponderance of mask wearers among locals, which could speak to the pre-pandemic wearing of masks anyway. But many bar and hotel staff did not and foreigners rarely wore them outdoors. After a couple of days, I stopped wearing one because few others did.

Anyway, it's all very odd that we're getting multiple news stories on mask wearing.

My company's HR is fairly on top of these issues (we get daily emails about case count, vax, and government announcements) and they've yet to send anything. I'll ask someone there whether they've heard anything new.

[ExPenhMan]

The announcement (statement in quotes). Only stipulates certain areas. It doesn’t quite read as being mandatory, everywhere. However, I know nothing of Vietnam, so if the locations mentioned do infact account for all public space, then so be it.

The two parts that I pick out of that statement are these-

On that basis, wearing face masks is mandatory for people with symptoms of acute respiratory infection, people with or suspected of having Covid-19; all subjects (except children under 5 years old) when going to a public place in an area that has been declared an epidemic level 3 (high risk) or level 4 (very high risk).

And

Along with that, the Ministry of Health also stipulated wearing masks in specific places such as medical facilities, medical isolation places, and accommodations where someone is in medical isolation or is under medical observation and supervision. Moreover, the Ministry’s regulation is applicable to people using public transport, drivers, people serving on public transport, service staff, managers, and workers at train stations, bus stations, and docks when in direct contact with passengers.

Service staff, managers and workers at trade centers, supermarkets, and wholesale markets ought to don face masks when in direct contact with customers. People must wear face masks at places with closed spaces, and poorly ventilated namely bars, discos, karaoke, massage and beauty service establishments, gyms, bodybuilding establishments, and food and drink service establishments served on-site.

So, again, it doesn’t read as mandatory, everywhere. Only in certain high risk scenarios. As I may be weighing up the options of heading that way soon, I do need to clarify this, though.

The coverage list is extremely comprehensive, though, and would probably include 90%+ of potential interactions among people, leaving out possibly the streets. But as you know, the streets are dense with pedestrians. So if I were a faraway tourist, all I'd see is the word "mandatory" as per headlines and choose Thailand, hands down.

But I agree, it's worth waiting for any clarifications. However, the English media in Vietnam are not nearly as connected as the working press in Thailand, with the likes of Richard Barrow and others who know insiders and often can get issues clarified and quickly too. I've never seen any examples of this in the VN press and I scan 9-10 VN media sites a day.

[Freightdog]

Good to know. I’ll be keeping an eye on this. I’ve a potential long assignment coming up, to be based there, so this will be a major consideration.

[atst]

Facemasks are mandatory on trains and stations fines apply in Sydney Australia, only 5% of people on trains have a mask.

[hanno]

Masks have continued to be mandatory in public spaces here, indoors or out -- nothing has changed. When I go to the supermarket, nearly everyone wears a mask. Ride a taxi, mask. Recent domestic flight - masked. The office building in which I work also requires them, but the company which employs me does not.

While most locals wear masks outside too, compliance is dropping. Plus, I've seen plenty of tourists not wearing them outside, but haven't read any reports of any be harangued about it.

Not mandatory here in Sa Pa and very few people wear masks. I just came back from Hanoi and, again, very few people were wearing masks.

[ExPenhMan]

Masks have continued to be mandatory in public spaces here, indoors or out -- nothing has changed. When I go to the supermarket, nearly everyone wears a mask. Ride a taxi, mask. Recent domestic flight - masked. The office building in which I work also requires them, but the company which employs me does not.

While most locals wear masks outside too, compliance is dropping. Plus, I've seen plenty of tourists not wearing them outside, but haven't read any reports of any be harangued about it.

Not mandatory here in Sa Pa and very few people wear masks. I just came back from Hanoi and, again, very few people were wearing masks.

Wearing of masks was very loosey-goosey in SGN in May, but I was only there one night inbound and one night outbound. Definitely more relaxed in Vung Tau.

I just scanned two fresh SGN D1 videos shot on Sept 2 and 4 on Nguyen Hue Mall and nearby markets. Many are wearing masks but maybe 20% of Viets are not even though conditions are crowded. Most foreigners are not wearing masks at all.

@Freightdog You might have a gander at some fresh HCMC videos, if that's your destination. I'd say it's much like Bangkok. Most Thais wear masks, foreigners and visitors do not. And no one has reported being bothered for not doing so. In Thailand, it's recommended but not mandatory.