Starting Friday, all nine districts in Can Tho City will switch to Directive 15, which requires suspension of social events, bans gatherings of 20 people or more in one place and of 10 people or more outside workplaces, schools and hospitals, and a minimum distance of two meters between people in public.

However, Directive 16, the most stringent social distancing rule in Vietnam that bans all from leaving their houses except for "essential purposes," will continue to take effect in nine wards, including six in Ninh Kieu District and three in Cai Rang District until Oct. 1.

The city will continue to suspend public transport and entertainment services, wholesale and traditional markets, as well as tourism, sports, festival and cultural activities.

Trade centers, supermarkets and convenience stores are allowed to reopen but must ensure pandemic prevention measures.

Food and beverage establishments can only serve takeaways.

Businesses, factories and production facilities can resume operation to recover the city economy.

State agencies could have workers back to their desks but must guarantee social distancing.

Along with the entire Mekong Delta, Can Tho was put under Directive 16 on July 19.

All 12 other localities have switched to Directive 15, with only a few areas still under Directive 16.

For the fourth Covid-19 wave that hit Vietnam in late April, Can Tho has recorded 5,402 community cases.

Among them, 4,468 have recovered and 78 have died.

With a population of more than 1.28 million, the city has administered around 325,000 single Covid-19 vaccine doses and 48,000 double doses.