Staff at a coffee shop are cleaning tables and chairs in preparation for sit-in service resumption in District 3, HCMC (Photo: SGGP)
Restaurants, cafes, and other food and beverages places can cater for sit-in services again, but they must close at 9pm each day, the number of customers is capped at 50 per cent, and alcoholic drinks are still not allowed (except in wedding venues, or restaurants at hotels for tourists).
District 7 and Thu Duc City, due to their success in containing outbreaks, are allowed to carry out a ‘pilot’ period of selling alcoholic beverages starting tomorrow until November 15, with specific areas to be decided by local authorities.
The two localities will report to the city’s authorities after November 15 to inform their decisions on whether to expand the permission to other localities.
Customers are expected to leave records of entry at each food and drink establishment using QR codes via the health declaration/medical surveillance system.
The establishments have to have proper food safety licences, separate section/quarter for reception of food, full stock of soap and hand sanitation products, and register their venues at the address: antoan-covid-19.gov.vn.
Staff must have either received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine or recovered from Covid-19 within six months. Frequent Covid-19 testing for staff is also required.
The HCMC's Department of Industry and Trade will coordinate with suppliers to ensure the goods and raw materials for the city’s market, work with relevant authorities to carry out inspections with regards to Covid-19 control and prevention compliance, according to the city’s decision.
Last week, HCMC People’s Committee announced the level of Covid-19 outbreak risks in all 22 districts in the city (based on the number of new infections, vaccination rates, and healthcare capacity) with nine districts at level 1 (new normal), 12 at level two (medium risk), and Binh Tan District the sole determined to be at level three (high risk).
The southern city is well on the way of reopening as the outbreak situation eases after the peak in around August-September, despite it still being the largest Covid-19 hot spot in Vietnam.
