HCMC to ban people from going out starting August 23

Pham Duc Hai, deputy head of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control, on Friday said the coronavirus situation in Ho Chi Minh City is progressing complicatedly despite its best efforts to contain the virus.

Therefore, the city has decided to tighten its current restriction measures, now requiring residents to "stay where they are," isolating homes from homes, streets from streets and wards from wards.

Covid-19 tests would continue in high-risk areas and so will vaccination.

The city will continue to supply its citizens with essential goods and care for them, especially those in poverty, circumstances and other vulnerable communities, Hai said.

Phan Nguyen Nhu Khue, head of the Propaganda Department of the municipal Party Committee, said the new measure is a step-up from previous coronavirus control measures.

"Specific details would be announced once the plan is completed. Whoever gets to go out, how essential goods would be distributed and how mobile medical stations would operate would be announced later," said Khue.

Ho Chi Minh City, the current epicenter of Vietnam's fourth coronavirus wave since late April, has recorded 164,342 local cases and 5,627 deaths.

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

The government wants Ho Chi Minh City to put the coronavirus situation under control by September 15.