HCMC - Truckers and driver assistants in 19 southern cities and provinces, which are currently implementing the stay-at-home order, are not required to produce proof of a negative Covid-19 test result while transporting goods between these cities and provinces, said the minister of health.

However, they still have to regularly disinfect their vehicles and refrain from contacting others along the way, according to the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control.

Chairing a meeting of the committee on July 18, Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said the move is aimed at removing hiccups in the transportation of goods after stricter social distancing measures were imposed in HCMC and other southern provinces that are grappling with the strong spike in Covid cases.

According to Deputy Minister of Transport Le Anh Tuan, truckers and driver assistants were previously forced to show proof of a negative Covid-19 test result when they transported goods between the virus-hit southern provinces.

However, each province had different regulations on testing as some required rapid test results while others only accepted real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results.

Besides, test results are valid for only a few days, mostly three days, disrupting interprovincial goods transportation and increasing goods prices.

Therefore, the national steering committee for Covid-19 infection prevention and control decided that truckers are not required to have a negative Covid-19 test certificate when transporting goods in the southern provinces on lockdown.

The committee also asked the local authorities to prioritize vehicles transporting goods with a short expiry period.

Disruptions in the transportation of goods, especially from the Mekong Delta and Central Highlands to HCMC, have recently caused a shortage of vegetables and fruits in the city and pushed up the prices of these items.