Long queues at HCM City supermarkets before tighter social distancing

Many people in HCM City queued at supermarkets on Friday noon after hearing about tightened social distancing rules to be imposed in the city from August 23.

People queue at the Emart Supermarket in Go Vap District on August 20.

At a meeting held on Thursday morning, the HCM City Steering Committee on Covid-19 Prevention and Control announced to tighten preventive measures in the city from August 23 as part of efforts to bring the outbreak under control by September 15.

At noon the same day, many supermarkets in the city saw a large number of people coming to buy food and necessities.

At the Emart Supermarket in Go Vap District, a long queue of people were seen outside as customers were asked to declare health and follow safe distance rules. Many people have to wait for over an hour for their turn to enter.

The supermarket advised people to return in the afternoon if they did not want to wait for long.

People buy a lot of goods to prepare for the long social distancing period.

At Big C Supermarket in Go Vap District, only 40 customers were allowed to enter at a time. Meanwhile, a long line of people waited outside for their turn.

People waited at Co.op Mart Phan Van Tri.

Big C To Hien Thanh in District 10 only served customers with shopping tickets in Wards 13, 14, 15. The supermarket had to close at 1 pm due to overcrowding.