HCMC – The HCMC authorities have fined some 3,800 people who failed to wear masks in public a total of VND765 million (US$33,000) since early August, Tuoi Tre newspaper reported.
The city began to implement a citywide face mask mandate and impose fines of VND100,000-300,000 on citizens who venture out in public without putting on a mask from August 5, based on Article 1, Clause 11 of Government Decree 176/2013.
According to the HCMC Department of Industry and Trade, the local authorities have found over 11,000 people who were sans masks in public since the mandate came into force. Among them, 7,420 cases were let off with a warning, while 3,769 were fined for their violation.
From August 24 to 30, 1,792 people were found unmasked in public places, with 1,271 of them let off with a warning and 521 fined a total of VND140 million.
HCMC vice chairman Le Thanh Liem asked citizens to continue practicing Covid-19 infection prevention and control measures such as wearing face masks while going out, keeping their residences clean and well-ventilated and avoiding large gatherings. In addition, he asked the districts’ authorities to tighten control over crowded places during the upcoming National Day, September 2.
