HCMC allows bars, cinemas to reopen

As per a decision signed Tuesday by city Chairman Phan Van Mai, "non-essential" businesses, also including night clubs, spas and karaoke parlors, can fully reopen if they are in low-risk areas.

For areas with medium risks, they can operate at half capacity and in high-risk areas, they must keep their operational scale at 25 percent of their full capacity, according to the decision. The infection risk level is determined based on an area's vaccination rate and the number of infections per population.

All staff of all establishments must be fully vaccinated with two doses or have recovered from Covid-19 within six months.

Customers and participants can use services under the same condition, or have a negative result from tests done within 72 hours.

These services cannot resume in areas still classified as "very high risk."

Karaoke and massage parlors, bars and night clubs in HCMC have been closed for around six months now.

There are around 680 such establishments in the city.

The city’s current low-risk areas are districts 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Phu Nhuan, Tan Phu, Tan Binh, and Binh Chanh.

Districts 3, 10, 11, 12, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, Hoc Mon, Cu Chi, Go Vap, Nha Be and Thu Duc City are medium risk areas.

Can Gio is the only district considered high-risk.

No area in HCMC is considered to be at very high risk at present.

The city chairman also allowed bike ride-hailing services to operate at half their capacity.

They can resume full operation when the city is at low Covid-risk, but have to suspend operation when the city's at high risk. It is now at medium risk.

Traditional motorbike taxi drivers can only operate when the city is at low risk level.

Street vendors, including lottery ticket vendors, can work in low-risk wards or communes. Those working in medium-risk areas have to be fully vaccinated or have recovered from Covid-19. They cannot work in high-risk areas.