Vietnam to scrap all Covid curbs on international flights from Feb 15

Vietnamwill remove itsCOVID-19 restrictions oninternationalpassengerflightswith all markets startingFeb.15, with no limitation on the number offlights, the state-run Tuoi Tre newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Southeast Asian country imposed tight border controls at the start of the pandemic to keep outCOVID-19, with some initial success, but that dealt a blow to its burgeoning tourism sector which accounted for about 10% of gross domestic product.

"Vietnamwill lift restrictions oninternationalflightsstartingFebruary15. The frequency offlightswill be restored to pre-pandemic level," Tuoi Tre said, citing Dinh Viet Son, deputy director of the Civil Aviation Administration ofVietnam.

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Vietnamhas already informed its partners about that new policy and only China has not yet agreed to resume commercialflightswithVietnam, Son was quoted as saying.

Vietnamhad already begun gradually resuminginternationalflightswith15marketsfromthe beginning of this year while easing quarantine requirements, with vaccinated passengers now needing only three days of self-isolation.

The Southeast Asian country has recorded nearly 2.5 millionCOVID-19 cases since the pandemic began, and around 39,000 deaths. Nearly 98% of its 98 million people have received at least two vaccine doses, official data showed.