Coffee shops on Hồ Tùng Mậu Street in District 1, HCM City, in May 2021. — VNA/VNS Photo Hồng Giang

HCM CITY — HCM City’s authorities on Wednesday issued its decision to allow in-person dining to resume from Thursday, after five months of closure and delivery-only operations due to the severe COVID-19 outbreak.

Restaurants, cafes, and other food and beverages places can cater for sit-in services again, but they must close at 9pm each day, the number of customers is capped at 50 per cent, and alcoholic drinks are still not allowed (except in wedding venues, or restaurants at hotels for tourists).

District 7 and Thủ Đức City, due to their success in containing outbreaks, are allowed to carry out a ‘pilot’ period of selling alcoholic beverages starting tomorrow until November 15, with specific areas to be decided by local authorities.

The two localities will report to the city’s authorities after November 15 to inform their decisions on whether to expand the permission to other localities.

Customers are expected to leave records of entry at each food and drink establishment using QR codes via the health declaration/medical surveillance system.

The establishments have to have proper food safety licences, separate section/quarter for reception of food, full stock of soap and hand sanitation products, and register their venues at the address: antoan-covid-19.gov.vn.

Staff must have either received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine or recovered from COVID-19 within six months. Frequent COVID-19 testing for staff is also required.

The HCM City’s Department of Industry and Trade will coordinate with suppliers to ensure the goods and raw materials for the city’s market, work with relevant authorities to carry out inspections with regards to COVID-19 control and prevention compliance, according to the city’s decision.

Last week, HCM City People’s Committee announced the level of COVID-19 outbreak risks in all 22 districts in the city (based on the number of new infections, vaccination rates, and healthcare capacity) with nine districts at level 1 (new normal), 12 at level two (medium risk), and Bình Tân District the sole determined to be at level three (high risk).

The southern city is well on the way of reopening as the outbreak situation eases after the peak in around August-September, despite it still being the largest COVID-19 hot spot in Việt Nam. — VNS