HCMC considers step-by-step reopening supermarkets, convenience stores

SGGP 08/09/2021 13:31

Deputy Director of the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nguyen Phuong said that the agency is considering the proposal of step-by-step reopening the supermarkets, convenience stores and makes the plan of living with Covid-19 pandemic under the new-normal state.

He was speaking at a press conference on Covid-19 prevention and control tasks in the city yesterday afternoon.

According to reports at the conference, although functional forces at all levels have joined hands with the city authorities to check and monitor the social welfare works dedicated for residents facing difficult circumstances, the city cannot promptly meet the urgent demand of citizens.

Over 1.6 million gift bags and more than 10,500 gifts for emergency cases were supported to the poor by the city Social Welfare Center and the SOS program of the center. Besides, the city has called for more than 85,000 rental house owners to reduce the rental fees for 670,000 rooms with a total amount of over VND329 billion (US$14.4 million).

Deputy Head of the HCMC Steering Committee for Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai speaks at the conferernce.

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Head of the HCMC Steering Committee for Covid-19 Pandemic Prevention and Control Pham Duc Hai informed that after 15 days of implementing Directive No.11 of the Municipal People’s Committee’s Chairman, the volume of vehicles on street has decreased around 85 percent compared to the period before August 22. However, there still have been some people going out without necessary purposes.

From August 23, residents have been allowed to take their test samples for Covid-19 by themselves. At that time, the city has already carried out large-scale rapid tests, concentrating on very high-risk and high-risk areas to track and detect coronavirus infections.

Therefore, around 5,300 people infected with SARS-CoV-2 have been detected daily during the past two weeks.

By 6 p.m. on September 6, the Ministry of Health reported 259,055 new cases and 42,029 patients under treatment related to coronavirus in the city.

On September 6 alone, 5,196 recovered patients were discharged from medical facilities, bringing the total discharges to 133,592 from the beginning of the year up to now. On the same day, the city recorded 253 deaths related to Covid-19.

According to Senior Lieutenant Colonel Le Manh Ha, Deputy Chief of Staff at the Municipal Department of Public Security, from August 22 to September 6, the HCMC Police have run 914 checkpoints in the whole city.

Through the checking process, the police forces detected and handled over 11,176 violated cases with a total amount fine of VND17.7 billion (US$775,000). Almost all the cases have violated the regulation of going out without the necessary purposes, occupying 99.11 percent.

A total of 12,529 and 12,011 shippers reportedly operated on September 7 and September 6, respectively.

Through the QR Code scanning at the checking points, the police forces have detected 63 traffic participants infected with Covid-19 by September 6. The city police have installed 100 QR Code machines in 22 districts and Thu Duc City.