HCM City Welfare Centre's staff delivers support to residents in blockaded areas. — VNA/VNS Photo Xuân Khu

HÀ NỘI — HCM City will continue imposing social distancing under the Government’s Directive 16 until the end of September, but ease the lockdown in some districts where the situation is stable.

The announcement was made at a press conference held by the Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control of HCM City on the evening of September 15.

At the press conference, Vice Chairman of HCM City People's Committee Lê Hòa Bình said the city's plan on measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in the city from September 16 to September 30, 2021 was to continue to apply social distancing and other tough pandemic prevention measures throughout the city in the spirit of Directive No. 16 of the Prime Minister.

The motto was to thoroughly, strictly, drastically and effectively apply appropriate measures to prevent and control the COVID-19 pandemic in each specific area.

The city will continue to issue travel permits to groups of people who are allowed to travel. The travel permits issued by the city police will continue to be valid until September 30, 2021.

For the areas where the pandemic has been basically controlled, which are District 7, Củ Chi district, Cần Giờ District, processing zones, industrial parks in these districts and hi-tech parks, people are allowed to go to the market once a week.

The management boards of processing and industrial zones and high-tech parks guide enterprises to organise the implementation of production plans according to Plan No. 2715/KH-BCD of the city Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and the Safety Criteria of the city People's Committee.

In addition, the city also piloted the implementation of the COVID Green Card associated with a personal QR code. The pilot still has to ensure the implementation of the 5K message and periodic antigen testing. 

Shippers supported with testing costs 

According to the plan, shippers of tech-based delivery services/platforms can operate between districts and Thủ Đức City from 6am to 9pm daily, instead of being limited to just one district/Thủ Đức City.

Pooled sample testing (three people) must be performed on these shippers every two days. The expense for this will be paid by the city's authorities until September 30. 

The city allows the following businesses and households business (with business registration licenses) to operate from 6am to 9pm daily: postal and telecommunications services; office computer equipment, learning tools; take-away food services (these businesses have to operate under the "three on-site" method, selling only through online ordering); agricultural production support services, veterinary facilities; maintenance and repair services for machinery and equipment, means of transport and supply of components and spare parts for this activity; food production, processing and trading.

The above-mentioned businesses are only allowed to operate in the area of one district or Thủ Đức City; and must perform pooled testing among three people every two days. The businesses will bear the cost themselves. 

Employees who work on-site at these businesses must be vaccinated with at least one dose and perform COVID tests every five days individually or in the form of three-people pooled testing. Testing expenses shall be paid by these businesses themselves.

Construction work and sport activities

The city allows construction work and transport construction sites to operate on the basis of compliance with the set of safety criteria issued by the City People's Committee.

Chairmen of people's committees of wards, communes and towns shall consider and decide to allow sports activities at parks in residential areas and apartment buildings in "green zones" as long as anti-pandemic regulations are met. 

Vice Chairman Lê Hoà Bình also said that the city assigned the people's committees of District 7, Củ Chi District, Cần Giờ District to urgently prepare plans. For the remaining areas, depending on the pandemic control situation in the area, they will consider piloting the reopening of some activities later. 

At the same time, the Department of Health was assigned to closely monitor the pandemic situation in the pilot areas, advise on treatment and support forces when necessary; conduct impact assessment in pilot areas so that the city can give appropriate direction after the pilot ends. — VNS

VNS Infographic Bảo Ngọc