HCM City (VNA) – Ho Chi Minh City has suspended non-urgent construction projects until April15 in an aim to strictly follow nationwide social distancing rulesamid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The municipal Department of Construction has sent an urgent document topeople’s committees in 24 districts and relevant agencies about theimplementation of the temporary suspension of such projects.

Investors mustmake adjustments to construction schedules or temporarily suspend projects that are not urgent.

For urgent projects that mustbe completed on time, contractors and construction units must takepreventive measures to ensure the health and safetyof their workers.

They are required to make acommitment on the prevention and control of COVID-19 and send it to district-level people's committees wheretheir project is located.

In addition, they mustmanage their foreign experts and workers who have returnedfrom COVID-19-hit regions and notify local authorities who willimplement quarantine procedures.

They must also limit night shiftsand crowds at construction sites. 

A working shift must have nomore than 20 workers, and equipment and machinery machinery must be disinfected after each shift.

All workers must have their body temperature checked before and after each shift. If thetemperature is above 37.5 degrees Celsius, it must be immediately reported tolocal health centres.

They must wear face masks,wash their hands with sanitizer frequently, and keep a minimumdistance of two metres from others during their working time./.