HCMC tightens restrictions amid COVID-19 infection spike

Ho Chi Minh City Municipal Party Committee has issued Directive No. 12 on tightening restrictions to curb spike in daily COVID-19 infections though the southern metropolis has been placed under social distancing for the last 13 days.

The following are key highlights:

Accordingly, in locked down areas, people are requested to strictly keep distance from each other and only permitted to leave homes in case of medical emergencies or to buy food.

In extremely high-risk areas, residents are banned from leaving homes entirely. Food and other necessities will be provided directly to them by local authorities.

In quarantine camps, no one is allowed to leave his/her room or makde direct contacts with those around them, except for medical emergency cases.

Members of families where COVID-19 patients and those who come in close contact with them (F1) stay (home self-isolation) are banned from leaving home except for medical emergencies. Food and other necessities will be directly provided to them by local authorities.

Residents living in highly-populous and narrow alleys shall have to keep distance as much as possible.

Suspension of non-urgent production facilities

The city decided to temporarily shut down production facilities and sites of non-urgent construction and transport projects that are not really urgent.

Banks and stock exchanges are allowed to sustain minimum operations to provide essential services. Offices and branches of banks could open in rotating basis with limited personnel. Social distancing rules must be strictly complied.

Businesses that provide food, other necessities, pharmeceuticals, water-electricity-gas supply, postals, telecommunication, waste collection, transportation of essential goods, funeral services are allowed to operate.

All the other businesses are only permitted to operate if they fully and strictly observe preventive measures. Any violators shall be strictly fined.

Only official vehicles, trucks that transport goods and have identification codes (QR codes), and coaches that transport residents in HCMC to their hometowns as planned are allowed in and out of the city.

As of 6:00 am on July 23, Viet Nam confirmed 78,269 infection cases, including 74,570 locally-transmitted cases documented in 61 cities and provinces since late April when the fourth COVID-19 wave hit the Southeast Asian country.

Extension of social distancing

In a latest move, the Municipal People's Committee has just decided to extend the application of social distancing measures until August 1.