Official Dispatch 3569/UBND-KT Ho Chi Minh City 2021 on resuming food services

To:

- The Municipal Department of Industry and Trade;

- The Municipal Department of Health;

- The Municipal Department of Tourism;

- The Municipal Department of Information and Communications;

- The Food Safety Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City;

- The People's Committee of Thu Duc City. 

- The People's Committees of districts.

Pursuant to the Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 of the Government promulgating the Interim Regulation on “safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic”;

Pursuant to Decision No. 4800/QD-BYT dated October 12, 2021 of the Ministry of Health, issuing the Interim Guidance for implementation of the Government’s Resolution No. 128/NQ-CP dated October 11, 2021 promulgating the Interim Regulation on “safe and flexible adaptation and effective control over the COVID-19 pandemic”;

Pursuant to Directive No. 18/CT-UBND dated September 30, 2021 of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on continuing to control and revise COVID-19 prevention and control measures and gradually restore and develop the social economy in Ho Chi Minh City;

At the proposal of the Municipal Department of Industry and Trade in the Official Document No. 4785/SCT-VP dated October 26, 2021 on resuming food services;

The People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh hereby issues the following directions:

1. Food and beverage establishments shall be allowed to offer on-site services from October 28, 2021 but must satisfy the following criteria:

- They must satisfy the safety criteria in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control applicable to food and beverage establishments in Ho Chi Minh City (issued together with the Decision No. 3677/QD-BCD dated October 27, 2021 of the Ho Chi Minh City Steering Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control).

- Amidst the complicated developments of the COVID-19 pandemic, food and beverage establishments must fulfill the following requirements (except for restaurants with wedding venues, restaurants at accommodation facilities and at tourist attractions):

+ Operating time: Until 9:00 p.m. every day.

+ Serving capacity: Up to 50% of their maximum capacity.

+ No alcohol would be allowed.

2. Depending on the level of pandemic control, the People's Committees of District 7 and Thu Duc City shall consider and decide to allow alcohol at food and beverage establishments under their management on a trial basis. The trial period: until the end of November 15, 2021.

After such trial period, the Chairpersons of the People's Committees of District 7 and Thu Duc City shall review the trial and draw on experiences; then make reports to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, which will serve as a basis for further implementation in other areas.

3. Functional departments, agencies and sectors of the City shall actively coordinate with the People's Committees of Thu Duc City and other districts to guide food and beverage establishments to properly implement Points 1 and 2 of this Official Document, specifically:

3.1. The Food Safety Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City shall guide food and beverage establishments to fulfill the safety criteria in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control in Ho Chi Minh City.

3.2. The Municipal Department of Tourism shall guide restaurants at accommodation facilities and at tourist attractions in the City to resume their operations.

3.3. The Municipal Department of Information and Communications shall guide local food and beverage establishments to apply technological solutions in preventing the COVID-19 pandemic; supervise the registration and scanning of QR codes, the making of electronic health declarations via the COVID-19 safety system at food and beverage establishments in order to quickly control, trace and isolate infections when necessary.

3.4. The Municipal Department of Health shall guide food and beverage establishments to take safety measures against the COVID-19 pandemic in accordance with regulations of the health sector.

4. The Municipal Department of Industry and Trade shall coordinate with suppliers to ensure the supply of goods and raw materials for the market; at the same time, coordinate with relevant departments, agencies and units to inspect and supervise the prevention and control of the COVID-19 pandemic at production and business establishments in the City, promptly correct and handle violations of safety regulations against the COVID-19 pandemic.

5. The People's Committees of Thu Duc City and other districts shall coordinate with functional municipal departments to inspect, supervise and strictly handle food and beverage establishments which resume their operations without satisfying the safety criteria in terms of the COVID-19 pandemic prevention and control, or without complying with regulations on food safety, security, social order, traffic safety, environmental protection and hygiene, etc. and at the same time, direct the People's Committees of wards, communes and townships to intensify the monitoring, inspection and supervision of their respective localities in order to promptly correct and immediately handle local food and beverage services that do not fulfill the requirements on safety against the COVID-19 pandemic.