Ho Chi Minh City Lockdown

[Tripadvisor]

Vietnam Covid-19 surges, Ho Chi Minh City lockdown on August 23.2021






















































With soaring Covid-19 infections, Ho Chi Minh City has issued a stay-at-home order enacting a strict lockdown that bans people from leaving their home starting Monday. The megacity of 9 million people has accounted for a full 80% of all Covid-19 deaths and 50% of Covid-19 infections in Vietnam and less harsh lockdown restrictions aren’t making headway. The deputy head of Ho Chi Minh City’s Coronavirus authority asked everyone to stay in their homes and not to go outside, in order to stop the spread of Covid-19 in its tracks and allow the city to treat the current critically ill infected patients.

The announcement sent many in Ho Chi Minh City into a frenzy, hoarding supplies before being trapped in their homes from Monday. The military will be distributing food to residents with the help of volunteers, unions, and veterans. The army will keep the food supply running and enforce stay-at-home orders through September 15.2021

But people racing to stock up in Ho Chi Minh will likely backfire and lead to more exposure and Covid-19 infections, and create shortages as people overstock in a panic. Long lines were seen in markets with shelves being emptied. From Monday, the most high risk districts of the city will not be allowed to go out, even for food, while safer areas will be allowed one weekly grocery shopping trip.

Vietnam like Thailand had long avoided the pandemic through strong countermeasures and citizen compliance in a country where mask wearing was already common. Before May of this year they had less than 3,000 total Covid-19 cases and only 35 deaths, but now just 3 and a half months later Vietnam has had 7,150 deaths and 312,000 infections, with 10,650 new infections and 390 deaths yesterday.

Less than 2% of people in Vietnam have been vaccinated, and now many feel that a sharp acceleration in vaccinations is the only way to get Covid-19 back under control in the country. Over 50% of Saigonese people have had at least one Covid-19 vaccine, but the rest of the country is far behind Ho Chi Minh. Vietnam has been developing their own domestic subunit vaccine that is now in the third phase of trials with promising results.

[Sundance2020]

All Ho Chi Minh City residents to be tested for Covid; military sent in to help distribute food, enforce restrictions

The Prime Minister of Vietnam, Pham Minh Chính, has ordered that all Ho Chi Minh City residents get tested for Covid following the decision to have the military sent in to distribute food and enforce Covid restrictions. Confusion swirled in the city as officials released conflicting information about food buying restrictions. Vietnamese media showed swarms of residents flocking to markets and stores. The food buying restrictions start today and last until September 06.2021 as per a government statement.

Vietnamese officials estimate that the city will need to give 11,000 tons of goods to inhabitants daily. An unidentified official from the city’s trade department says such a feat is possible. Vo Minh Luong, deputy minister of national defence, says the military is working alongside volunteers, veterans, and some unions to bring food to residents. Vietnam is currently struggling with its hardest wave of Covid yet. Thailand’s Southeast Asian neighbour reported 11,299 cases on Saturday.

Ho Chi Minh City inhabitants are dealing with strict restrictions. They cannot leave home except for essential reasons, such as going to work sites… if the government grants approval, getting food or seeking medical care.

Besides the army, thousands of police officers have also been deployed from throughout the country to Ho Chi Minh City and neighbouring province Binh Duong. The army will help with the enforcement of restrictions, says an unnamed government website. Thousands of doctors and other medical workers are also being sent to the region to help with the increasing number of patients.

[Macman]

Ho Chi Minh City lockdown impacts global coffee supplies

Vietnam’s lockdown of its largest city, Ho Chi Minh City, has resulted in global concerns about coffee supplies. The southern city represents an exporting hub and has been under strict travel restrictions after Covid cases of the Delta variant spiked. The country is a major manufacturer of robusta, a bitter tasting bean, whereas, according to “The Roasterie” arabica beans tend to have an “extensive taste range”.

Robusta beans have already faced issues this year as the price of wholesale robusta beans has increased by about 50% so far. Now, Ho Hi Minh’s lockdown has made problems for Vietnam exporters as they struggle to transport goods such as coffee beans to other ports throughout the world. The exporters had previously encountered a shortage of shipping containers and rising freight costs.

HMC and its ports are an integral part of the global shipping network that spans the globe from China all the way to Europe. The problem has led the Vietnam Coffee-cocoa Association, among other organisations, to ask Vietnam’s government to ease restrictions to cut down on future delays in shipments and other costs.

Vietnam’s transport minister responded to the problem last week and ordered regional authorities in southern Vietnam to take steps to alleviate unnecessary burdens on the transport of goods, such as coffee. Globally, coffee had also suffered in Brazil, which is the world’s largest producer of premium arabica beans. The country’s beans suffered due to drought and frosts.