Restaurants and beverage places in Hà Nội are asked to serve only takeout orders since Tuesday noon. — VNA/VNS Photo Minh Quyết

HÀ NỘI — Secretary of the Hà Nội Party Committee Đinh Tiến Dũng stressed today that a city-wide lockdown has not yet been considered, even though more restrictions have been imposed to deal with fresh COVID-19 outbreaks in the capital city.

Hà Nội would continue to carry out localised lockdowns to contain outbreaks while minimising adverse impacts on businesses and production, Dũng said.

Citizens could be reassured that the city still has good control over the situation and stronger measures would only be considered when the situation grows more complex, he said.

The leadership would tighten discipline and punish those failing to fulfil their duties and those who commit COVID-19 offences, and step up inspections to deal with large-scale violations like the crowding near the banks of the Red River last weekend.

In-person service at restaurants and cafes was shut down at Tuesday noon, parties are banned, hair salons are shut and people have been told to not congregate in public spaces or parks to exercise after a dozen community cases in Times City apartment building in Hai Bà Trưng District and T&T company in Hoàn Kiếm District were detected without known sources of infection.

Religious establishments, karaoke parlours, bars and internet cafes were shut earlier this month, while schools have moved to virtual learning.

Dũng said people would have to forego these activities and services to ensure long-term benefits and called for Hà Nội citizens to exercise personal responsibility to repel COVID-19.

The city would be implementing more stringent management over the industrial zones and workers’ dormitories to ensure COVID-19 prevention and control, given the ballooning clusters of infections found in the neighbouring provinces of Bắc Ninh and Bắc Giang.

“Each industrial zone, cluster, factory, and workshop must step by step become a 'fortress' against the pandemic and try to absolutely not let the supply and production chains be disrupted,” Dũng said.

He said the city had arranged for spaces to accommodate some 30,000 quarantined people if required.

The official also informed the press that the Government had agreed to let the city increase compensation for frontline workers by up to 70 per cent above the normal level, calling it a “meaningful move” given their current hardship.

The capital city has recorded some 200 cases during the country's fourth wave of infections since April 27. — VNS