Military personnel carry rice and food to bring to poor workers in District 10 on Monday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thanh Vũ

HCM CITY — More than 35,000 militia members and self-defence troops from the Military Region 7 and Army Corps 4 have arrived in HCM City to help with COVID-19 prevention efforts during the two weeks of social distancing starting on Monday.

They are supporting the police at checkpoints in 312 wards and communes to ensure that no one goes out on the streets except for legitimate reasons.

A police officer at the An Sương checkpoint in District 12 told Việt Nam News Agency that most people who passed through the checkpoint in the morning  were medical workers or people going out for vaccination.

Some delivery people not allowed to work in District 12 were ordered to return, he said.

The troops also help deliver food and groceries to people and provide medical support in emergency cases.

The Tây Nguyên (Central Highlands) Mobile Police Regiment has sent more than 300 officers to the city, and they manned 12 checkpoints on the borders with Long An, Bình Dương, Đồng Nai, and Tây Ninh provinces.

According to the city People’s Committee, the military and police personnel will help community-based COVID-prevention groups and volunteers shop and deliver food to people once a week between August 23 and September 6

People can register and pay for their food through support teams at their residential zones.

Needy and COVID-affected people will receive food and other essential goods for free from the city.

The People’s Committee has instructed the Department of Trade and Industry and large supermarket chains like Co.opmart, Lotte, Bách Hóa Xanh, and Vinmart to work with authorities in all 21 districts and Thủ Đức City to ensure distribution of goods.

According to city statistics, the population is nearly 9.4 million, and the average daily consumption is 10,964 tonnes of rice, meat, fruits, vegetables, and processes foods. — VNS

​

A soldier checks a person’s papers at the An Sương COVID-19 checkpoint in District 12. VNA/VNS Photo by Tiến Lực

​