HCMC authority suggests on-site dining without air conditioning, alcohol

In a draft regarding safety criteria for food and beverage establishments to resume operations while preventing Covid-19, sent by the authority to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee on Sunday, six criteria must be met for reopening, five of them regarding Covid-19 precaution measures and the other regarding food safety.

First, establishments must have food safety certificates and have their QR codes signed up on a Covid-19 safety database.

Second, they must make sure to satisfy food safety standards regarding equipment, personnel, storage, transportation, ingredients and other aspects of business.

Third, establishments must prepare Covid-19 prevention measures like hand sanitizers and separate delivery areas.

Fourth, employees and people coming to the establishments must have their QR codes scanned for medical declaration purposes, be vaccinated with at least one shot and test negative for the coronavirus, among other requirements.

Fifth, the number of people present at the same time must be limited depending on coronavirus risks in the area.

Sixth, establishments must not allow air conditioning in closed spaces and not sell alcohol.

Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee on Sunday announced the coronavirus risks in 22 districts, with nine qualified as safe zones, 12 as having medium risks and one, and one, Binh Tan District, as having high risks.

Impacts of the pandemic have forced food and beverage businesses in the southern metropolis to suspend on-site operations for around five months. Around 7,500 businesses and thousands of families are working in the field across the city, according to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade.

Throughout the past eight months, the revenues of food and beverage establishments in the city were only around VND32 trillion ($1.4 billion), a 20 percent reduction from the same period last year. Dismal sales performance has caused numerous shops to close up for good.