Ho Chi Minh City Imposes Travel Restrictions Amid Social Distancing

In order to defeat the COVID-19 pandemic, Ho Chi Minh City has enacted the implementation of Directive 16 and has adopted various safety protocols. These latest measures now include guidelines on approved travel within the city. Let’s learn more about who is allowed to travel in Ho Chi Minh City during this time.

Administrator

16 August, 2023

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Things to Know About the Tightening of Directive 16 in Ho Chi Minh City

The implementation of Directive 16 in Ho Chi Minh City has been focused on tightening and expanding the green zones, as well as improving control in high-risk areas. The Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee has been actively propagating and guiding people to practice social distancing and implement necessary epidemic prevention measures.

The city is determined to achieve the goal of locking down and controlling the spread of the epidemic. This involves increasing the maintenance of green zones, expanding safe green zones, and simultaneously controlling the spread in high-risk areas.

Moreover, there is a stronger emphasis on supervising and strictly implementing social distancing measures. The city is intensifying inspections and ensuring compliance with regulations on social distancing, isolation, and lockdown. In the lockdown areas, direct contact with people around is strictly prohibited.

Only essential travel, such as buying food and emergency medical treatment, is permitted. Special arrangements will be made to deliver essential goods to households in high-risk areas. Individuals under quarantine in isolation zones are not allowed to leave their rooms or have direct contact with others, except in cases of emergency medical treatment.

The city is also imposing stricter control over business activities and will penalize businesses that fail to comply with epidemic prevention requirements. Essential service businesses, such as health, pharmaceuticals, food, funeral services, and essential goods transportation, are allowed to operate, but must ensure safety.

Non-essential production and construction activities are completely suspended, except for urgent projects. Sectors like banking and securities can operate at a sufficient capacity to provide necessary services, but transaction offices and branches must strictly adhere to social distancing measures.

Traditional markets are allowed to open with reduced scale, but with strict measures to minimize person-to-person interaction. Only the sale of food and essential goods is permitted, and alternate buying on even and odd days is encouraged. Strict social distancing measures must be implemented, with barriers between buyers and sellers, open and ventilated spaces, posted prices, and pre-packed products.

Groups of People Allowed to Travel in Ho Chi Minh City During Directive 16

Officials, Civil Servants, and Workers

This group must wear their identification cards and uniforms, and carry written confirmation from their units for inspection by the authorities. Individuals driving their own cars must also display a work permit on the front windshield.

Epidemic Prevention Forces, Support, and Service Forces

These individuals are required to carry work permits/confirmation documents (in red color) issued by the relevant agencies and units for inspection purposes.

Individuals Called for Vaccination

People going for vaccination need to bring their vaccination invitation papers or text messages, as well as their District People’s Committee cards or identification vouchers (with colors that change daily), which must be worn on the chest for inspection.

Essential Food Delivery Teams (Shippers)

In addition to identification measures such as uniforms, cargo boxes, order management applications, and transport documents, shippers must also carry name tags and a technology application for shipper identification through QR codes.

People Going to Markets, Supermarkets, Convenience Stores

The Committee will distribute market and supermarket visit vouchers to citizens according to regulations, specifying the time of visit and the nearest market, supermarket, or convenience store. Only those with vouchers will be allowed to enter these locations, and the vouchers will be collected by staff after shopping to prevent misuse.

Transportation Vehicles

Transportation vehicles must comply with regulations or be registered with the relevant departments and provided to the authorities for inspection. These vehicles are only allowed to travel for essential purposes, such as delivering goods, transporting task forces for epidemic prevention and control, and providing meals to lockdown areas, isolation areas, and healthcare facilities.

References: Thu vi?n pháp lu?t and Công van 2522/UBND-VX – Updated on August 12, 2021

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Above is information about the groups allowed to travel during the social distancing period in Ho Chi Minh City. We hope this information is helpful to you during this pandemic. If you have any comments or suggestions, please leave them below for discussion!