HCMC to resume most activities from Oct. 1

A new directive on pandemic control after Sept. 30 in HCMC was rolled out Thursday with specific guidance on easing Covid-19 restrictions gradually.

According to the directive, state organizations that need to have employees on site can resume operations and will decide the number of staff available at their offices at once in accordance with the city's regulations and the Health Ministry's set of criteria for safety assessment of Covid-19 prevention and control.

The plan allows most businesses to resume operations, maintain restrictions.

On the list of those that can resume operations starting Oct. 1 are:

- Production facilities inside industrial parks, export processing zones, hi-tech parks in 21 districts and Thu Duc City as well as the Quang Trung Software Park in District 12;

- Cooperatives and households engaged in agricultural, forestry and fisheries production and trading, agricultural production support services, and veterinary practice;

- Traffic and construction works;

- Facilities providing medical examination and treatment, rehabilitation, physical therapy, establishments trading in pharmaceuticals, medical supplies and equipment, hospitals and clinics providing aesthetic services, general and specialized clinics;

- Firms engaged in the supply of food and foodstuffs, shopping malls, mini marts, convenience stores, wholesale markets, and traditional markets;

- Petrol stations, chemical traders, electricity and water, fuel, repair and maintenance service providers;

- Public and security service providers, public utilities like water drainage, environmental sanitation, environmental monitoring and treatment, and maintenance of public parks and trees, technical infrastructure; car and motorbike wash services; funeral services; and transport;

- Foreign representative offices, credit institutions, bank branches, treasury, business establishments directly related to credit activities, logistics, securities, notaries, lawyers, bailiffs, businesses providing auctioning, commercial arbitration, commercial mediation, legal advice and other judicial services;

- Post and telecommunication services, publishing, businesses using e-commerce platforms; books and stationary stores, libraries, galleries, art exhibitions, photography services, businesses providing school supplies, tools, eyewear products and informatics equipment;

- Warehouses and facilities for stockpiling, gathering, and transiting goods, supporting services for transporting, exporting and importing goods; commercial centers, supermarkets, convenience stores; grocery stores, goods retail establishments, wholesale and traditional markets.

Restaurants and eateries, meanwhile can only continue to serve takeaways, unless they are authorized by competent authorities to provide onsite services.

Hair salons can resume operations at half capacity.

Museums can receive up to 10 visitors at once.

Arts and sports events can be held at a maximum scale of 70 people and all participants must be fully vaccinated or have contracted and recovered from Covid-19, meaning carrying green pass.

Residents can engage in physical exercises but all such activities can have no more than 100 in one place if all participants have the green pass. Otherwise, the number of participants must be limited to 15.

Resorts and establishments providing sightseeing tours can resume activities at 50 percent of their capacities but have to meet the Health Ministry's set of criteria for safety assessment of Covid-19 prevention and control.

Religious events can have no more than 70 in one place if all participants have the green pass. Otherwise, the number of participants must be limited to 10.

Indoor meetings are subject to the same limit. While the maximum scale for outdoor events are 100 if all participants are green pass holders, and 15 otherwise.

Weddings and funerals can gather up to 20 people at once.

The city continues to let all schools hold online classes, for now. Education units that involve fully vaccinated teachers and students can organize in-person classes that meet Covid safety requirements.

Public passenger transport by road, rail, and waterway can resume operations at half their maximum capacity.

Transportation of goods between HCMC and other localities can operate as usual, but all parties must ensure Covid-19 prevention measures and all drivers must present a QR code that allows them to travel on specific routes.

Activities and businesses that continue to be suspended include bars, spas, karaoke and massage parlors, beauty care services, on-site catering services, cinemas, discos, video games, events, cultural, artistic, launching ceremonies (unless permitted by competent agencies), street vendors, including lottery ticket vendors.