A delivery worker in HCM City is tested for COVID-19. Shippers have to be tested every three days, which many delivery companies are finding cumbersome and expensive. – Photo plo.vn

HCM CITY – The HCM City Department of Industry and Trade has instructed delivery companies to continue pooled sample testing of their drivers using rapid antigen tests every one to three days though the city reopened on October 1 and allows people to travel without carrying permits or test results.

It had instructed the companies to test their delivery workers themselves from September 24, giving them testing kits they will require until September 30.

The workers need to submit their test results for their companies to upload in the city’s shared database.

They also have to comply with regulations for delivery workers, which include getting at least one vaccine dose, having the necessary papers and QR codes for easy identification on the street and registering with the Department of Industry and Trade.

Several delivery services such as Gojek and Baemin are covering their employees’ testing expenses, setting up sites around the city to distribute free test kits to them.

Some others are helping them register at testing facilities and offering financial support.

Grab is giving free testing kits to shippers who can meet its weekly delivery quota starting from October 10, besides cash support of up to VNĐ300,000 (US$13.17) per week to cover testing fees for those who complete their registered work hours.

Delivery businesses are hoping the testing frequency will be relaxed depending on the pandemic and vaccination status in various locations.

Gojek said having delivery workers go through such frequent testing hampers the city’s supply chain, wastes resources since all of them have got at least one vaccine shot, and places a large burden of expense.

HCM City has been Việt Nam's COVID-19 epicentre since late April with more than 405,000 cases, but its number of daily cases has dropped to below 2,000 in the last few days. – VNS