The statement was made by Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung during a meeting of the city’s steering committee for the COVID-19 prevention and control on the evening of March 18.

Chung requested the municipal education department to report to the Ministry of Education and Training on alternative lesson delivery plans and schedules and prepare for increasing televised lessons to allow students to study from home while ensuring the quality of education.

On the same day, the capital city started tracking people in quarantine via a mobile application called Hanoi Smart City.

Chairman Chung advised local residents to stay at home, avoid large gatherings and non-essential use of public transport while shops of non-essential products and services should be closed to contain the spread of the COVID-19.

As of March 18 night, Vietnam recorded 76 infection cases, of which 16 have been fully recovered.

National high school graduation exam postponed to August

As Covid-19 continues to spread, the Ministry of Education and Training has rescheduled the closing date of the 2019 – 2020 academic year, to July 15, while the national high school graduation exam was postponed to August 8 – 11.  

Schools in many localities close over Covid-19 fears

Many cities and provinces in Vietnam have continued to keep local schools closed amid the rise in Covid-19 cases.