Bulgaria travel restrictions covid

American Justin Douglas told VnExpress International he was glad to hear the test requirement went on May 15. "At this point I think Covid is endemic and that testing serves no significant purpose anymore besides presenting a bureaucratic hassle for traveling. "In addition to the high costs, there was the added stress of finding out where you can get a suitable test, and getting it at the right time." "Vietnam is my favorite country and I have been waiting to go back." Yves Badaroux also of the U.S. said he backed the government's decision as many countries across the world have already done so. "Removing the test conveys a message that the country really wants tourists to come back. "We plan to visit Vietnam in October and November. We miss Vietnam. We have been there five times already and cannot wait to come back." Singaporean Ben Teh said: "This is great news. We don't have to bother to get a PCR or antigen rapid test done because it's really costly and makes no … [Read more...] about Foreigners happy as Vietnam lifts Covid testing requirement

"Finally, the biggest news that we all needed." Tom GD "Congrats PM. Well decided. Now next step please; Visa exemption with 30 days for whole EU + Switzerland, U.S. and Canada, Australia and New Zealand. The economy will thank you big for this decision." erkan tuncaakar "Great news. Now just have to go back to pre Covid visa policy and open the country fully. Only 80 countries currently can come and only for 30 days. Spoke to a retired couple yesterday. They have to fly out today. Not going to bother doing a visa run and coming back. Going to spend their next 6-month holiday and money somewhere else. Sad, as they wanted to see more of the country but cant be bothered with the visa situation the way it is now." Steve Brown "If you are over 65 this is not what you need. What you need is for Vietnam to stop letting the health insurance companies decide who can enter Vietnam. There are only a small handful of countries who require health insurance to enter and Vietnam is one … [Read more...] about No Covid test is good news, but is it good enough?

The latest decision is expected to boost the traveling of visitors to Vietnam in the context that the country's Covid-19 infections have dropped to a 10-month low. Vietnam has removed the pre-entry Covid-19 testing requirements for all arrivals, starting today [May 15], according to a recent government’s instruction. It comes as the numbers of Covid-19 infections and deaths drop both in Vietnam and around the world. Vietnam has reported no Covid-19 related deaths over the past week while infections fell to a 10-month low of around 1,800 cases per day. In an official document issued this weekend, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh cited a World Health Organization (WHO)’s report that the pandemic has tended to subside worldwide, shown by the reducing number of new contractions and fatalities, and that the vaccines are still effective against variants of the novel coronavirus. In such context, many countries have been taking steps to ease Covid-19 restrictions, including removing … [Read more...] about Visitors to Vietnam no longer required Covid-19 testing

Easing weeks of punishing restrictions in the commercial hub would bring relief to China's battered economy, although there is growing concern that Beijing may yet take a similar course of action if it fails to get a nascent outbreak under control. Shanghai's deputy mayor, Wu Qing, said the city of 25 million aims to eliminate Covid outside of quarantined zones within the next week or so. After that, the city's lockdown will be "lifted in batches", with shops opened and traffic restictions eased, he said in the announcement which confirmed a Reuters story from Sunday. The vast majority of Shanghai's more than 2,000 new cases are in areas already under the tightest controls, while those found in the relatively freer communities are the ones most closely watched for clues as to where Shanghai's outbreak is heading. The number of such cases rose to four on May 12, up from two the previous day. Last week, some of Shanghai's residents were allowed outside their housing compounds … [Read more...] about Shanghai aims to defeat Covid over next week as Beijing hunkers down

Vietnam will remove the pre-entry COVID-19 test requirements for all foreign arrivals starting Sunday, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has directed. The direction, effective at 0:00 on May 15, comes as the numbers of COVID-19 infections and deaths drop both in Vietnam and around the world. In a dispatch issued on Friday, the PM cited the World Health Organization as announcing that the COVID-19 pandemic has tended to reduce in both patient numbers and fatalities on a global scale and that basic vaccines are still effective against variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In such context, many countries have been taking steps to ease COVID-19 restrictions, including removal of pre-entry testing, the document said. PM Chinh requested the Ministry of Health to closely monitor the epidemic situation and provide timely and appropriate instructions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs must direct Vietnamese agencies abroad to ask people wishing to enter Vietnam to comply with epidemic … [Read more...] about Vietnam to lift pre-entry COVID-19 test requirements for entrants on May 15

Shanghai achieved on Tuesday the long-awaited milestone of three consecutive days with no new COVID-19 cases outside quarantine zones but most residents will have put up with confinement for a while longer before a return to more normal life. For other cities in China that have been under lockdown, a third day with no new cases in the community usually means "zero COVID" status and the beginning of the lifting of restrictions. The commercial hub of 25 million set out on Monday its clearest timetable yet for exiting a lockdown now in its seventh week, but the plan was met with scepticism by many residents who have seen isolation extended time and again. Shanghai plans to resume outdoor activities in stages, with some convenience stores and pharmacies reopening this week, but with most restrictions on movement remaining in place until May 21, after which public transport and other services will resume gradually. By June, the lockdown should be lifted, but residents will still be … [Read more...] about Shanghai achieves ‘zero COVID’ status but normal life is weeks away

Shanghai announced a gradual reopening from Monday of businesses, though it remains unclear when the millions of people still locked down in China's economic capital will finally be allowed out of their homes. Police and security members in protective suits stand outside cordoned off food stores following the COVID-19 outbreak in Shanghai, China, Mar 29, 2022. (File photo: Reuters/Aly Song) Confronted with its worst Covid-19 outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, China -- the last major economy still closed off to the world -- put the city of 25 million under heavy restrictions in early April. The rigid strategy to root out virus cases at all costs has wreaked havoc on supply chains, crushed small businesses and imperilled the country's economic goals. For many Shanghai residents, some of whom were already confined to their homes even before April, the frustrations have included problems with food supplies, access to non-Covid medical care and … [Read more...] about Covid-hit Shanghai announces gradual reopening of businesses

Shanghai on Tuesday declared it had achieved "zero-Covid" across all its districts, sparking derision on social media as millions in China's biggest city remained under lockdown. Confronted with its worst outbreak since the beginning of the pandemic, China -- the last major economy still closed off to the world -- put the city of 25 million under heavy restrictions in early April. The government's insistence on squashing the Omicron variant-driven outbreak prompted rare protests and angry scuffles with authorities as Shanghai residents reject the prolonged confinement and food shortages. "All 16 districts of Shanghai have already achieved zero-Covid at the community level," Shanghai health commission official Zhao Dandan told reporters on Tuesday. That means none of the over 1,000 new infections recorded on Tuesday was detected outside of quarantined areas, city authorities said. Vice mayor Chen Tong said Sunday that the city would gradually reopen businesses starting this … [Read more...] about Shanghai says ‘zero-Covid’ achieved but millions still in lockdown

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tested positive for COVID-19 with moderate symptoms, her office said in a statement on Saturday. She will not be in Parliament for the government's Emissions Reduction Plan on Monday and the coming Budget on Thursday. "Travel arrangements for her trade mission to the United States are unaffected at this stage," the statement added. Ardern had been symptomatic since Friday evening, returning a weak positive at night and a clear positive on Saturday morning on a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT), the statement said. At this stage her symptoms are moderate and she has been in isolation since May 8 when her partner Clarke Gayford tested positive, it said. Due to the positive RAT, Ardern will be required to isolate until the morning of May 21, and undertake what duties she can remotely this week. Deputy Prime Minister Grant Robertson will address media in her place on Monday. "This is a milestone week for the Government and I'm gutted I can't … [Read more...] about New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern tests positive for COVID

Visitors look into outbound tour options from leading travel operators at the 18th HCM City Tourism Festival. VNA/VNS Photo by Mỹ Phương HCM CITY — Travel operators are strongly promoting international travel this summer after Việt Nam dropped the COVID-19 test requirement for arrivals. Trần Đoàn Thế Duy, general director of Vietravel Tourism Company, told the Người Lao Động (Labourer) Newspaper that cancellation of the COVID-19 test requirement for foreign arrivals had opened up a great opportunity for Việt Nam’s tourism industry. He said his company had signed agreements with the Singapore Tourism Board, Tourism Authority of Thailand and Korea Tourism Organisation to develop tours with preferential prices for Vietnamese tourists. Vietravel is selling tours to countries in South Asia and Southeast Asia. The most favoured destinations are Singapore and Thailand. Tours to Indonesia, Korea, Europe, the US and South Africa are also catching attention. The TST Tourist Service … [Read more...] about Removing COVID-19 testing requirement a fillip for outbound tourism