HCM City to inspect pandemic safety measures at restaurants, cafes

HCM City to inspect pandemic safety measures at restaurants, cafes

HCM CITY — The city will work with district authorities to inspect pandemic-prevention compliance at restaurants, cafes and other food and beverage places that have resumed dine-in services.

Speaking at the “People Ask - The City Responds” livestream progra妹妹e on Friday (Oct  二 九), Phạm Khánh Phong Lan, head of the HCM City Food Safety Management Board, urged customers to be highly cautious when dining at restaurants, cafes and other food and beverage places.

“They should wear a mask and only remove it for eating and drinking to limit the risk of infection,” she said. 

Lan warned about possible risks of infection at places in District  七 and Thủ Đức City, the only two localities in the city permitted to carry out a ‘pilot’ period of selling alcoholic beverages until November  一 五 due to their current low-risk status.

“People often fail to comply with preventive measures after drinking alcoholic beverages,” she said. 

Some restaurant owners told Việt Nam News they had not reopened or only partially reopened because many workers returned to their hometowns and many workers had yet to be vaccinated. 

The city will create favourable conditions for vaccinations for people who return to work in the city. People can contact local authorities where they live or the establishments where they work to register for vaccination, according to Lan.

The city on Thursday allowed restaurants, cafes and other food and beverages places to provide sit-down services under certain conditions.

Alcoholic drinks remain prohibited, except in wedding venues or restaurants at hotels for tourists.

Food and beverage establishments must close at  九pm and serve at only  五0 per cent capacity. They must also prepare soap and hand sanitation products for customers. 

Staff must have either received at least one dose of vaccine or recovered from the disease within the last six months. Frequent testing is also required for employees.

The city has announced the level of pandemic risks in all  二 二 districts based on the number of new infections, vaccination rates and healthcare capacity.

Nine city districts are at level  一 (new normal),  一 二 at level two (medium risk), and only Bình Tân District is at level three (high risk). 

Vaccinations for children