Hanoi authorities have adopted a special resolution to aid demographics impacted by the coronavirus pandemic that were not included in a relief package ratified by the national government last month.

The new assistance was approved by the municipal People’s Council as a supplement to Resolution No. 68, which was issued by the central government in July and seeks to provide VND26 trillion (US$1.1 billion) to help struggling individuals and businesses hit by COVID-19, the local People’s Committee said on Saturday.

According to the municipal Department of Labor, War Invalids, and Social Affairs, the new resolution will provide support worth VN345 billion ($15.2 million) to 324,000 residents under specific demographics.

It aims to help poor and near-poor households, as well as social security beneficiaries, namely war invalids, elders in the community, and residents in social protection centers who have returned to their families due to the epidemic.

Contract workers who have insurance but were unable to claim unemployment pay after the business households they work at were shuttered for COVID-19 prevention will also benefit from the new package. 

Employees at private trade schools and K-12 facilities who got their contracts terminated but were not eligible for unemployment benefits will be included as beneficiaries in Hanoi's upcoming policy.

Also on the beneficiary list of Hanoi's supplementary aid package are private preschools and day-care centers that were closed down over epidemic prevention measures. 

Through the Hanoi branch of the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies, city authorities will make VND500 billion ($22 million) available as loans for pandemic-hit employees and employers to revamp their production after the current outbreak wanes. 

As of August 10, Hanoi has allocated VND150 billion ($6.6 million) worth of funding to support businesses and workers, and has delivered VND140.4 billion ($6.2 million) out of the sum. 

The capital city of Vietnam has recorded 2,395 COVID-19 cases since the fourth outbreak started in late April. 

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