95. Update | HCMC enacts voucher system until Aug 1

Dear Faculty and Staff,

In recent days, we have witnessed the local government of Ho Chi Minh City implement stricter regulations within Directive 16 to prevent the transmission of COVID.

We are steadfast in our commitment to ensure that you receive reliable information. That is why we are only sharing directives and regulations with you that carry an official seal. This means that you may sometimes see things online before you hear them officially from us. Please do not hesitate to ask if you are wondering or confused by what you are hearing.

Today, I wish to share the latest official news with you, as outlined in HCMC People’s Committee Directive 2490/UBND-VX, which will be in effect until the end of the day, August 1.

• Until the end-of-day August 1, Ho Chi Minh City will implement a voucher system for essential grocery shopping. Households will be divided into odd or even days to minimize the volume of people and person-to-person contact. The vouchers are issued by district, and the system may look different depending on the severity of the outbreak in that district. At this time, we understand that the voucher system is in effect in D2 but, as of yet, is not in effect in D7.

In addition, on July 25, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee instructed in Dispatch 2948/BC-CATP that from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, everyone in the city is restricted from going out and all shops and businesses must close during those hours, except for emergency services, essential goods transportation, and other essential services. 

Although you may find that delivery service is somewhat slower these days, HCMC is doing a very good job of ensuring that food and other necessities are restocked on a regular basis.

The SSIS team is working hard on accessing the 2nd vaccine dose to help protect the community. And with these stringent measures, we are hopeful that cases will drop and life will return to some form of normalcy soon! But, in the meantime, please stay home as much as possible to best ensure your health and safety.

All good wishes,

Catriona