Restaurants and other eateries in the central city of Da Nang have been given the green light to provide takeaway and delivery services from Thursday, following a mandatory fortnight closure to stem the spread of novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19).

The municipal steering committee for COVID-19 prevention and control issued an official notification on Wednesday that gave permission for catering businesses in the city to resume selling takeaways and offering home delivery.

However, they are not allowed to serve dine-in customers.

Local authorities were told to increase the number of their inspections and raise awareness among eatery owners, food delivery people, and diners of rules on food safety and epidemic control measures.

As part of the social distancing guidelines, business owners must ensure proper hygiene at their eateries while food delivery workers are required to wear face masks and keep a minimum distance of two meters from their clients.

The municipality has warned food businesses that fail to meet such requirements will be shuttered.

Six cases of COVID-19 have been reported in Da Nang to date, all of whom had been discharged from the hospital by April 10.

Earlier, Da Nang ordered a temporary suspension of local eateries between April 1 and 15 shortly after Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced 15-day nationwide social distancing for the same period, effectively closing schools, stores, and entertainment venues while banning any gathering of more than two in public spaces.

Da Nang is among 12 “high-risk” cities and provinces asked to continue taking such social distancing measures for another week until April 22, the premier said Wednesday.

The other 11 localities are Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the provinces of Lao Cai, Quang Ninh, Bac Ninh, Ninh Binh, Quang Nam, Binh Thuan, Khanh Hoa, Tay Ninh, and Ha Tinh.

Social distancing measures are loosened in other parts of the country considered to be at a lower risk for COVID-19, with some industries and businesses allowed to resume operations from April 16, subject to conditions.

Vietnam’s Ministry of Health has announced 268 cases of coronavirus infections. Among them, 176 have walked out of the hospital free of the virus to date.

No death from the disease has been reported in the country.

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