HCM City has extended the trial period for allowing food and drink establishments to operate to December 31. — Photo sggp.org.vn

HCM CITY — The HCMC People’s Committee has decided to continue with the trial to allow food and drink establishments to operate until December 31.

Besides, it has done away with its earlier requirement that they need to close before 10 p.m.

Businesses can operate normally in areas with COVID-19 alert levels 1 and 2, have up to 50 per cent of covers in case of level 3 and only offer delivery and takeaway in case of level 4.

All must comply with safety regulations in force locally.

Local authorities have been instructed to strengthen oversight of establishments serving alcoholic beverages and severely penalise non-compliance with pandemic safety measures.

On November 16 the city People’s Committee allowed food and beverages establishments to reopen on a trial basis until November 30.

According to the city Department of Industry and Trade, 9,796 of them opened, while another 3,732 are selling alcoholic drinks.

It has stimulated consumer demand and production activities, increased public revenues, helped create jobs, and relieved the financial pressure on people, it added.

HCM City promoted as a safe and fascinating tourist destination

HCM City will continue its efforts to safely adapt to COVID-19 and effectively contain it while also reviving its economy, given the emergence of a new variant, Omicron, a city leader has said.

Its COVID-19 response and socio-economic recovery plan for 2021-2022 also outlines improvement in the quality of urban governance and the business climate, and support for businesses, Dương Anh Đức, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said.

It is now focusing on pandemic control measures and gradual socio-economic revival in a safe, flexible and effective manner, he told a conference last Friday.

The pandemic badly hit the socio-economy in the last two years, with the tourism sector taking the brunt, he said.

The city has called on the Government to resume commercial flights to facilitate trade, tourism and investment to revive the economy, he said.

No Omicron cases have been detected yet, but the country is on high alert for it, he said.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, director of the city Department of Tourism, said the city has sought the Government’s approval to allow in foreign visitors.

With around 85 per cent of its population being fully vaccinated and proactive pandemic response plans in place, the city is ready to welcome tourists, she said.

The department and the Department of Foreign Affairs held the conference, which was attended by city leaders, foreign cultural and media officials and foreign journalists working in Việt Nam, to publicise the city as a safe and fascinating destination.

It was held under the framework of the HCM City Travel Fair being held from December 4 to 25. — VNS