The Da Nang City administration has approved the reopening of traditional markets and variety shops, which had been shuttered since August 16 under a stringent shelter-at-home mandate.

The direction was approved by Le Trung Chinh, chairman of the Da Nang People’s Committee, and was announced at a meeting on Thursday.

Chinh greenlighted the municipal Department of Industry and Trade’s proposal on reopening traditional markets, provided the department ensures that the market management board, sellers, and workers are vaccinated against COVID-19 and get screened for the virus every three days. 

The markets must uphold epidemic safety guidelines and can only welcome buyers who are neighborhood leaders or members of local response teams, who are tasked with purchasing food for residents in one area and distributing it to them.

The department will take full responsibility for the resumption of wet markets, and must report to the People’s Committee a list of active food and essential item suppliers. 

The leaders of districts in the city can consider the realistic circumstances before having the final response in the reopening of wet markets in their areas.

Variety stores in wards and communes of Da Nang can be given the greenlight to reopen if they fulfill the requirements on epidemic prevention, local authorities added.

On August 16, Da Nang introduced an elevated stay-at-home fiat, forbidding most types of outdoor travel, even if it is for food. 

Local residents have since relied on local response teams in their neighborhoods to take their grocery orders and deliver them from supermarkets or convenience stores. 

The coastal city has accumulated 3,705 infections since the current wave hit Vietnam on April 27.

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