Functional forces have removed COVID-19 barricades from hundreds of alleys across Ho Chi Minh City after the municipal authorities announced the change on the weekend.

The city is expected to remove all COVID-19 checkpoints and barricades along local streets and alleys by September 30, Tran Hoang Ngan – head of the Ho Chi Minh City Institute for Development Studies – said at an online seminar on Saturday, recounting several points of a meeting a day earlier.

However, the checkpoints at the city’s entrances will remain in operation to ensure safety for the key southern economic region in general, he added.

Following the announcement, iron wires, tables, and chairs has no longer obstructed people going in and out of many alleys in the city as of Monday morning.

In a number of alleys, local residents assigned one another to inspect visitors and coming delivery workers.

“Although movement restriction remains, seeing the entrance to our alley clear of barricades makes me feel relieved,” said Hien, a resident of an alley on Phan Van Tri Street in Binh Thanh District. 

Barricades have caused stress and emotional exhaustion to many people in Ho Chi Minh City over the past few months, according to Pham Thi Thuy, a psychotherapist.

In addition, barricades make the city esthetically ugly, according to the expert.

“In all aspects, the existing barricades have a certain impact on people’s lives, so they should be removed as soon as possible,” said Thuy.

Ho Chi Minh City has recorded more than 371,000 local COVID-19 cases, with over 14,000 deaths, since the fourth wave started in the country on April 27, according to the Ministry of Health’s data.

The city has implemented social distancing measures at various levels since May 31 and is looking to gradually carry out economic recovery plans in ‘new normal’ conditions.

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