HCMC removes single district restriction on shippers

Wednesday’s decision came three days after one that restricted shippers in the city to operate within one district. Many shippers, already facing the challenges of infection risks and checkpoint questioning, quit making deliveries.

Approved shippers during the Covid-19 social distancing order must have appropriate uniforms and logos on their deliveries as also different documents and licenses. They are only allowed to work between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

HCMC, Vietnam's largest coronavirus hotspot at the moment, has recorded 81,781 local Covid-19 cases since the fourth wave hit Vietnam in late April. The southern city has undergone around three weeks of strict social distancing, and that could be extended by another one or two weeks as August arrives.

The order requires residents to stay at home and only go out for basic necessities such as buying food or medicines or to work at factories or businesses that are allowed to open.

Starting July 26, the city banned anyone from going out after 6 p.m. except for medical emergencies or other coronavirus fighting activities.

Ride-hailing services also had to suspend operations amid Covid-19 restrictions, and along with sometimes ambiguous interpretations of what constitutes "essential goods," many shippers were discouraged and decided it was not worth the trouble they took to make deliveries, risking their health and having to receive fines for breaking unclear regulations. The shippers also said most of their orders needed deliveries in different districts and confining them to one made no sense.

As the shippers chose to stay at home, retailers and e-commerce platforms found it difficult to make deliveries of essential goods in a timely and consistent manner.