Ho Chi Minh City always ensures smooth flow of goods during the period of social distancing, regulates traffic remotely to avoid congestion, and continues to inject more than 1.1 million doses of vaccine for people.

169 markets and 4 supermarkets temporarily closed due to the epidemic

Information at the press conference held on the evening of July 12 about the situation of Covid-19 prevention and control in the area, Mr. Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City, said that Ho Chi Minh City currently has 169 markets, of which 3 wholesale markets and 4 supermarkets are temporarily closed due to Covid-19 infections.

According to Mr. Phuong, the City's industry and trade sector is making great efforts to ensure the supply of necessities in areas, especially areas under medical isolation and blockade areas.

Responding to the issue of some places lacking goods and high prices, Mr. Phuong said that due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic, the transportation of goods to the city is difficult, especially the supply of goods to small retail stores, in residential areas or convenience stores.

 

"At some times, some places are lacking goods and prices are increasing due to the complicated epidemic situation in localities that are raw material areas, so the transportation of goods to the city is slower than scheduled," Mr. Phuong shared.

The representative of the Department of Industry and Trade of Ho Chi Minh City added that overall, the industry and trade sector is trying to ensure that there is no shortage of goods, especially in supermarkets with reserve warehouses. There are special products such as imported goods, organic goods... these items must be placed in separate trays, but because the product codes are not clearly labeled, it causes confusion among consumers that the products are priced many times higher.

Information about many households living in the blockaded and isolated area on Bui Van Ba Street, District 7, Ho Chi Minh City is lacking essential foods. Mr. Phuong said that there are 4 points of sale of goods here. However, due to the recent high number of infections in this area, the supply of goods is difficult.

By this morning (July 12), the amount of goods has been fully supplied to meet the needs of people in this area. The Department of Industry and Trade has also connected with stores in the neighboring area to temporarily transfer goods to support the locality. At the same time, adding more mobile sales vehicles will ensure the supply of goods in the Bui Van Ba Street area in the near future.

Regulating and diverging traffic from a distance

Regarding the traffic situation, Mr. Tran Quang Lam, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, said that during the days of social distancing, Ho Chi Minh City reduced 70-80% of vehicles in circulation, and there were few people on the roads. In transporting goods, the problem is how to maintain social distancing while still ensuring the circulation of goods from the provinces to Ho Chi Minh City and vice versa.

Mr. Tran Quang Lam said that the Department has issued identification papers when passing through the Covid-19 prevention and control area and has so far issued nearly 17,000 identification papers to vehicles carrying essential goods, helping to ensure the needs of people during the period of social distancing.

Regarding traffic at checkpoints, Ho Chi Minh City has 322 checkpoints of the City and districts to prevent the epidemic. Of which, only a few points in Go Vap district are congested. To avoid congestion at checkpoints, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport will coordinate with districts to regulate and separate traffic from a distance, avoiding congestion and large crowds.

Districts are also flexible in increasing or decreasing the number of checkpoints to suit the situation. To facilitate people, today, Ho Chi Minh City has directed that for cases of travel within the city due to real needs, SARS-CoV-2 test papers will not be checked.

Regarding workers in enterprises and production and business establishments, Mr. Tran Quang Lam said that in terms of the level of response to the epidemic, there are currently 3 groups of enterprises. Those are enterprises that both produce and quarantine; enterprises that need to maintain production at a certain level.

However, the difficulty is controlling the movement of workers from their homes to their workplaces safely; and businesses that have completely stopped operating during the period of social distancing. Ho Chi Minh City is coordinating to re-evaluate the level in businesses. In particular, it is recommended that localities and businesses have solutions to limit travel such as organizing meals and rest at the production site; organizing cars to pick up and drop off workers and experts to limit the use of personal vehicles to travel between localities...

"The authorities at 322 checkpoints cannot check everything, I hope people will continue to limit travel for a while longer, share and join hands with Ho Chi Minh City", Mr. Tran Quang Lam said.

Answering questions about vaccination for drivers and shippers, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport Tran Quang Lam said that Ho Chi Minh City is the locality that has vaccinated the earliest and most drivers. For buses, 70% of drivers have been vaccinated. In the past, Ho Chi Minh City has vaccinated more than 10,000 bus, taxi, and truck drivers. Currently, there are 7,000 taxi drivers and 8,000 truck drivers who have not been vaccinated. In the coming time, priority will be given to vaccinating shippers because they are the force that delivers a lot of goods during the period of social distancing.

 

Continue to vaccinate more than 1.1 million doses of vaccine for people

Regarding the vaccine issue at the meeting, Mr. Nguyen Hoai Nam, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Health, said that the current great concern of people and agencies is the vaccine issue. Ho Chi Minh City has been allocated more than 54,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine.

It is expected that in the near future, Ho Chi Minh City will receive 1 million doses of Moderna vaccine and 100,000 doses of AstraZeneca vaccine. With more than 1 million doses, the health sector has developed a plan to organize vaccinations for people in the city.

Regarding the subjects to be vaccinated this time, Mr. Nam said that according to the plan, priority will be given to people with chronic diseases, people over 65 years old, the poor, policy beneficiaries; workers working in businesses, production facilities, utility services, food, health care and some other industries. In addition, this vaccination campaign will also prioritize workers and foreigners in the city.

"If the previous phase prioritized the epidemic prevention and control force, this time people will be prioritized for vaccination. Districts, towns and Thu Duc City will coordinate to review these subjects," Mr. Nam said.

Regarding the vaccination plan, the deputy director of the Department of Health said that the city will establish a vaccine coordination center coordinated by a Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee. The vaccination plan is fast, safe, effective, ensuring the principle of no large gatherings.

The city organizes 630 vaccination points at 312 district and county health stations. Each vaccination station has 2 vaccination tables, wards and communes with large populations will arrange additional vaccination tables, but each station only vaccinates 120 people, to ensure social distancing. It is expected that after 2-3 weeks, the city will be able to vaccinate all the allocated vaccines.

According to Tin nhanh chứng khoán