National

Hanoi plans to reopen historical, religious sites from March 8

SGGP 05/03/2021 16:24

At a meeting of the Hanoi’s Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control on March 4, the Department of Culture and Sport of Hanoi has proposed the city’s government to consider the reopening of historical and religious sites starting from March 8 if there would be no new Covid-19 cases.

Vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi, Chu Xuan Dung chairs the meeting. (Photo: SGGP)

The department has also asked these units not to organize public religious activities and festivals during the festive season on the occasion of the lunar New Year, and encouraged hosting online events in an attempt to avoid gatherings and prevent further Covid-19 infections in local communities.

The relic sites must continue strictly respecting preventive measures to keep the pandemic under control, especially the implementation of the Health Ministry’s 5K message, Khau trang (facemask) - Khu khuan (disinfection) - Khoang cach (distance) - Khong tu tap (no gathering) – Khai bao y te (health declaration), he added.

Regarding to the reopening of the special national relic site of Huong Pagoda in Hanoi’s My Duc District, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sport Tran Thi Van Anh said that two departments of Health, Culture and Sport had a working session with My Duc District’s authorities to check plans for epidemic prevention and control at the heritage site and the rules for safety and health.

Vice chairman of the People’s Committee of Hanoi, Chu Xuan Dung noted that Director of the Department of Culture and Sport, chairmen of districts will be responsible for the decision on reopening historical and religious sites which have not been allowed to organize festivals, excluding small-scale religious activities, and promoting online events.

Huong Pagoda Festival which usually opens at the Complex of Huong Son Historical Relic Site in My Duc district on the sixth day of the lunar New Year and lasts for three full months is the biggest and longest annual festival in the country with the participation of more than one million pilgrims and tourists every year. Therefore, it needs a special regulations to meet the requirements of organization, he sharply stressed.

Speaking at the event, Deputy director of the Department of Health, Hoang Duc Hanh confirmed that there have been no cases of community transmission of coronavirus recorded in Hanoi in the past 17 days and removed the blockade of 18 sites across the city.