HCMC – More than 800 medical centers of communes, wards and towns and pop-up healthcare stations in HCMC will conduct Covid-19 tests for the staff of technology-based delivery service companies from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. instead of between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. as was the case earlier, said deputy director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade Nguyen Nguyen Phuong.
At a press briefing on September 20 on the city’s anti-Covid fight, Phuong said the number of delivery staff operating during the strict social distancing period had surged from 20,000 to over 82,000, leading to an overload at medical centers and long queues of delivery people, the local media reported.
Therefore, the Department of Industry and Trade has worked with the Departments of Health and Police to support 312 medical centers of communes, wards and towns and 500 pop-up healthcare stations.
Delivery people can undergo Covid-19 tests at any medical center, not just at those in their neighborhoods.
Phuong affirmed that the city’s decision to allow the inter-district movement of delivery people was right, stating that 82,000 delivery employees could deliver 600,000-700,000 and even one million orders per day.
In addition, as they can earn an income, they will not need the city’s support.
The city on July 26 limited the travel of delivery people to within a district to reduce the coronavirus transmission risk. They must wear uniforms with logos, have the necessary documents and licenses, and test negative for Covid-19.
On September 16, the city allowed them to travel citywide from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and pledged to support them with Covid-19 testing costs until September 30.
Moreover, enterprises and household businesses can use their own delivery workforce but they can operate within a single district.
