Traffic in Ho Chi Minh City has roared back to near pre-pandemic levels as many streets across the southern metropolis, especially in the central districts, have become bustling again.

Vehicles filled up Truong Chinh, Au Co, Hoang Van Thu, and Cong Hoa Streets in Tan Binh District, Nguyen Thai Son Street in Go Vap District, Hai Ba Trung Street in District 3, and Ba Thang Hai Street in District 10, as observed by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters on Monday afternoon.

There were times when snarls of slow-moving vehicles from District 1 and District 3 inundated the intersection of Ba Thang Hai and Le Hong Phong Streets in District 10.

Rush hour traffic also returned on Cong Hoa and Hoang Van Thu Streets, mirroring a trend replicated citywide.

“It’s been a long time since I last saw such busy traffic,” said Nguyen Tuong Vy, a resident of Tan Binh District.

“This is a good sign that the city life rhythm has returned to normal. 

“However, I hope everyone will not become careless, as the pandemic is still smoldering in the community.”

Ho Chi Minh City is the hardest-hit locality in Vietnam since the beginning of its fourth virus wave on April 27, with more than 400,000 local infections and over 15,100 fatalities.

Infections have slowed down in recent times while over 6.9 million of its nearly-nine-million population have been given at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, according to the national COVID-19 vaccination portal.

City authorities had applied various social distancing levels in recent months before switching to Directive No. 18 from October 1 to continue preventing and controlling the pandemic while gradually reopening the economy.

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