Shippers are seen in HCMC. HCMC will allow shippers to return to work in Thu Duc City and seven districts hit hard by Covid-19, but they must undergo a Covid-19 test every morning – SGT Photo: Le Vu

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam and members of the Government’s working team on August 28 worked with the HCMC government to consider allowing more delivery workers in extremely-high-risk areas, the local media reported.

At the meeting, all officials agreed to allow delivery workers to resume work to serve residents in these areas during the city’s intense social distancing period.

HCMC Vice Chairwoman Phan Thi Thang said that goods and food were transported to supermarkets and convenience stores citywide, but there was a shortage of delivery workers. Besides, Thu Duc City and the seven districts, including 8, 12, Go Vap, Binh Tan, Binh Thanh, Binh Chanh, and Hoc Mon, are considered as extremely-high-risk areas, so shippers are not allowed to operate there, leading to difficulties in goods delivery.

As such, Thang proposed allowing shippers to resume operation in Thu Duc and the seven extremely-high-risk districts so that residents can access goods and food easily and quickly.

After the discussion, the working team approved the municipal government’s proposal, but asked the city to direct the health sector to conduct daily Covid tests for delivery workers.

Each ward should set up one Covid testing site for these workers, according to the Government’s working team.

Delivery workers in 14 other districts in the city remain operational, but must undergo tests twice a week. Over 12,510 delivery workers are working in these districts in the city, which are deemed as safe zones.

The number of shippers working in the city will be raised to 25,000 if delivery workers starts to resume their work in Thu Duc City and the seven districts and more shippers are added.

The HCMC Department of Health was tasked with monitoring the testing for shippers, while the city’s Police Department was told to direct the police of the districts to apply technology to closely monitor the operation of shippers.

Earlier, the municipal government suspended the delivery service in Thu Duc City and the seven districts starting from August 23 to tighten control over people going out to slow down the spread of Covid-19.

Source: Saigon Times

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