Chairman of the Hanoi municipal people's committee Chu Ngoc Anh on the evening of July 18 announced to halt all non-essential services starting from July 19 amid the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic in the area.
A supermarket in Tran Dang Ninh Street, Cau Giay District saw a large number of customers at 9 pm on Sunday. Eggs, vegetables, noodle and meat soon ran out.
A local woman, Hoang Thi Yen, said that she wanted to store some foods and necessities before the going-out restrictions were applied.
"The current virus outbreak has spread fast in many districts in Hanoi so we'll need to stay indoors more in the coming time," she said. "I should prepare properly for our family and I see many other people doing the same. Fortunately, the prices of goods and necessities are still stable."
Meanwhile, the director of Hanoi Department of Industry and Trade, Tran Thi Phuong Lan, warned people not to flock to crowded shopping centres and supermarkets to avoid possible virus spread.
"We have well prepared for the supply of goods for local people before the stricter social distancing regulations were applied," she explained. "Now our supply capacity has increased by between 30-50 per cent, so there will be no shortage of goods."
According to the official, they have built goods supply plans for three scenarios of the Covid-19 outbreak.
"With below 1,000 infections, we will need total goods valued at VND 313 billion (USD13.61 million)," she said. "And with infection numbers of between 1,000 and below 3,000, we’ll plan for a total good valued at VND1.05 trillion (USD45.56 million), and VND5.36 trillion (USD233 million) for between 3,000 and 30,000 infections."
