An event cancelled is better than a life cancelled
The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has asked local departments under its wings to advise cities and provinces nationwide to cancel festivals and firework displays celebrating Tết (Lunar New Year), Vietnam’s traditional New Year celebrated at the end of this month, as concerns rise over a spike in COVID-19 cases, Vietnam News Agency reported.
###: Tet holiday will be a nine-day break
The cities and provinces need to strengthen COVID-19 preventive measures that allow people to safely enjoy the upcoming nine-day holiday, it said in an official dispatch, given that Tết will be celebrated in the “new normal”.
According to the report, the ministry has also urged units to further raise public awareness of COVID-19 prevention and control measures, warn them not to lower their guard against the virus and provide people with sufficient information on the developments of the pandemic.
It is needed to step up checks and supervision of cultural, sports and tourism activities and festivals before, during and after Tết, depending on the COVID-19 situation in each locality.
To date, the capital city of Hanoi planned to hold a firework display at one location, Thống Nhất Park, on the Lunar New Year, while Hải Phòng City in the north said they will have three firework sites.
HCM City a week ago said the city will not have any firework shows, along with several localities in the southern region like Cần Thơ, Đồng Tháp and Bạc Liêu, who are still grappling with high COVID-19 caseloads, according to Vietnam News Agency.
Tết, short for Tết Nguyên Đán, Spring Festival, Lunar New Year, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year is the most important celebration in Vietnamese culture. The colloquial term “Tết” is a shortened form of Tết Nguyên Đán, with Sino-Vietnamese origins meaning “Festival of the First Morning of the First Day”
The most important celebration in Vietnamese culture, Tet Holiday carries love and hope; signifies family and friend kinship; and promises a better year ahead. If you are interested in learning about local life in Vietnam, there could not be a better time than Tet.
