HCMC to continue Covid-19 support even after pandemic is contained

By Le Tuyet September 2, 2021 | 03:51 am PT

A woman that has lost her job as a mason in District 12 as the contruction site is suspended due to Covid-19 restrictions receives food aid from the district, August 2021. Photo by VnExpress/Le Tuyet

People hurt by the Covid-19 pandemic will be supported even after the outbreak has been brought under control, HCMC vice chairman said Wednesday.

In the best-case scenario that the city is able to bring the Covid outbreak under control by mid-September, the administration will keep supporting 4.5 million people for another three to four months, Vice Chairman Vo Van Hoan said during a live show called "People ask, city answers," wherein officials communicate directly with citizens.

He said the city will help anyone who has lost his/her job and earned little or no income because of Covid-19, irrespective of their occupation, age, and resident registration.

"The city's upcoming support packages will cover all the people in need," Hoan noted.

HCMC will also use its own budget to release two million food support packages. Related agencies are still working on the value of each package.

The city has been implementing three Covid-19 relief packages to support people affected by the pandemic: a government’s relief package of VND26 trillion ($1.13 billion) that came out in July; and two of its own packages valued VND886 billion launched in July and VND905 billion announced last month.

It has asked district and ward authorities to finish disbursing funds to one million informal workers and working-age people as well as 1.3 million households in difficulties before September 6. In all, 4.5 million need to be supported, and each will receive VND1.5 million ($66), Hoan said.

In the fourth Covid-19 wave that hit Vietnam four months ago, HCMC has recorded the most infections at 226,622, making it the pandemic’s epicenter.

Since late May, the city has applied various levels of social restrictions. On August 23, it ordered every resident to stay put in their homes for 15 days.

Late last month, the city requested VND28 trillion ($1.2 billion) from the government and 142,200 tons of rice to support vulnerable populations.

The city itself has suffered financial impacts from the pandemic as its budget collection has been dropping since May and it is unlikely to meet the collection target of VND365 trillion for this year.