Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên speaks at the first HCM City People’s Council meeting for the 2021-26 period on Thursday. VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Secretary of HCM City Party Committee Nguyễn Văn Nên said the city would give top priority to both maintaining business and production and providing help to people and businesses affected by the pandemic.

Nên spoke at the first HCM City People’s Council meeting for the 2021-26 period yesterday.

In addition to voting for the city’s key leaders, the People’s Council meeting focused on major policies related to COVID-19 prevention and control as well as measures to support people and companies affected by the outbreak.

“We must ensure that workers who have lost their jobs, especially those who are more vulnerable, such as street vendors, are supported in a timely manner,” said Nên. 

The city government has asked the People’s Council to approve a package worth VNĐ345 billion (US$14.93 million) to support freelance workers affected by the pandemic.

If approved, each worker will receive VNĐ1.5 million, which will be sourced from the city budget and the Fund for COVID-19 Prevention and Control and other sources.

As many as 230,000 freelance workers in the city have lost their jobs, have had income reduced, or have no income since the first social distancing period began several weeks ago, according to the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs.

As many as 47,533 workers at 2,862 enterprises in the city have been laid off, and authorities have provided assistance to 20,000 of them.

The city is also expected to provide a second financial relief package for affected businesses and workers.

Tourism, transport, small and medium-sized businesses, teachers, laid-off or terminated workers, and informal sector workers will be beneficiaries of payments to be made between this month and December.

Pandemic situation 

Over the past three weeks, HCM City has been taking all measures needed to fight against the latest outbreak. After the first two weeks, the city basically controlled two large outbreaks in Gò Vấp District and Thạnh Lộc Ward in District 12.

“The highly contagious Delta strain has made the fight against the virus much more challenging,” Nên said.

The city has continued to detect new cases in the community without knowing the source of infection, requiring the city to increase the level of prevention measures.

The city is carrying out the largest vaccination campaign ever in an effort to curb the outbreak, according to Nên. As of yesterday afternoon, the city had recorded more than 2,100 locally transmitted cases since the fourth wave began in late April, ranking second in the country after the Bắc Giang Province hotspot.

Bình Tân District has recorded the highest number of cases in the city with 309, followed by Hóc Môn, Gò Vấp, District 12, District 8, and Thủ Đức new city. VNS