HCM City (VNS/VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City plans to gradually reopensome economic activities from October 1 as the pandemic has been basically putunder control in the southern economic hub.

Vice chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Le Hoa Binh has sent anurgent document to authorities of local districts and communes to give opinionson a draft Directive adjusting measures safely and flexibly for effectiveCOVID-19 control and socio-economic recovery.

Under the draft Directive, the city will permit the reopening of businesses andproduction establishments in industrial zones, processing and exporting zones,high tech zones, as well as in districts and Thu Duc city.

Services allowed to reopen include food and drink for delivery, in-doorhairdressing salons (allowed to operate at 50 percent capacity), traditionalmarkets, wholesale markets, shopping centres, stores for stationery, textbooks,and other learning equipment, mechanics, electronics, and home appliance andconstruction works.

Tourism sites will be permitted to operate at 30 percent capacity and allvisitors must have had two full doses of COVID-19 vaccines, have made a fullrecovery from COVID-19 or test negative for the virus.

The city will license businesses and production facilities to resume operationsif they meet safety requirements of pandemic prevention and control, and allowpeople with a COVID-19 green card to take part in production activities.

Non-essential services and businesses (such as beauty salons, karaoke venues,pubs, bars and massage parlours) will remain closed.

Sports events will be allowed to be held with 30 percent capacity and allparticipants must be injected with two full doses of vaccines or have fullyrecovered from COVID-19.

Outdoor exercise and cultural activities will be allowed with the participationof no more than 10 people or 50 people if all of them were fully vaccinatedagainst COVID-19.

Wedding services will be allowed with the participation of up to 50 people withsupervision from medical workers.

Public transport will resume but only be allowed to operate at 50 percentcapacity.

The city will keep 12 checkpoints at its gateways and 39 other checkpoints atthe entrances to other localities.

The city will propose reopening some domestic and international air routes./.