E-commerce platforms resume deliveries in HCMC's high-risk Covid areas

After HCMC allowed shippers to resume operations with the additional condition of testing for Covid every day in high-risk areas, and twice a week in safe areas, Lazada said it has restarted deliveries. Thu Duc City, Districts 8, 12, Go Vap, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, Binh Chanh and Hoc Mon are considered high-risk areas, while the remaining 14 districts of HCMC are considered the safe ones.

The company said it has delivered tens of thousands of orders to residents since Monday and this number is expected to increase in the following days.

Shippers, who have been divided into separate working shifts, fill out medical declarations, undergo daily health monitoring and make contactless deliveries.

"Social distancing makes a significant contribution to the prevention of the epidemic, but also prolongs delivery and receipt of goods, greatly affecting consumers and manufacturing and supply businesses. We greatly appreciate the decision to allow delivery staff to resume operations at this time," said Lazada Vietnam CEO James Dong.

According to Lazada, there is high consumer demand in three product categories – fresh food, healthcare, and books and stationery.

Similarly, Singapore-based platform Shopee said it has also resumed deliveries in all areas of HCMC starting Monday. A company representative who did not want to be named said it has coordinated with shipping partners to increase the number of shippers as well as safety equipment for the teams in order to make faster deliveries.

E-commerce platforms Tiki and Sendo have said they are actively working towards resuming operations in high-risk areas.

Due to social distancing restrictions in HCMC, deliveries by e-commerce platforms have been slow. Many consumers reported having to wait for orders for a very long time, often more than a month. Customers who order products that are not in the essential goods list have had to wait indefinitely.

HCMC, epicenter of Vietnam's fourth coronavirus wave since late April, has recorded over 232,000 local Covid-19 cases in the new outbreak so far.

The city of 13 million has undergone a series of social distancing orders, with the latest being extended until Sept. 15. People are also banned from going out between 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., except for medical emergencies.