105. New Directive – Some Services Resume

Dear Faculty and Staff,

We are happy to share some new developments with you. Although we are not yet out of lockdown, you will see that a few restrictions are being loosened, beginning hopefully next week. And, as one of my top character strengths is hope, this gives me great hope for a gradual improvement in the challenging situation that all of our communities are facing here in HCMC, at this time.

These are the main points of HCMC People’s Committee Directive 2994/UBND-DT as we understand it: 

1. From now until September 15 travel letters will still be required for those traveling between wards. No information has been provided for what happens beyond that date.

2. The following services will be allowed to be delivered each day, within a district.

   1. Supermarkets and convenience stores (D7 residence can go out to buy  groceries once a week (date to start that to be determined after September 11), the rest of the districts can only do online delivery)

   2. Deliveries/shippers resume

   3. Pharmacies and businesses producing medicine, medical equipment, and medical supplies delivery resume

EXCEPTIONS for DISTRICT 7 and CU CHI

3. The Chairman of the People’s Committee of District 7 and Cu Chi have to develop an implementation plan (and report to the People’s Committee before September 11) that allows for people to be able to go out to buy groceries once a week. We await further details on this, and we will be sure to share these details with you as soon as they are made available.

4. Two main commodity exchange points in Binh Dien and Hoc Mon wholesale market will be reopened to ensure there are sufficient goods available in Ho Chi Minh City.

5. The following services will be allowed to operate daily, through online delivery, between 6:00 am and 6:00 pm:

   1. Food and beverage businesses

   2. Postal and telecommunication services

   3. Computer and office supplies

   4. School stationery suppliers and studying equipment suppliers

   5. All safety measures to ensure the health and safety of the delivery persons and recipients must be ensured.

We expect more explicit guidelines for District 7 after September 11. Thank you everyone for another great week of supporting our students and community at SSIS.

All good wishes,

Catriona