Traffic congestion at a Covid-19 checkpoint in Go Vap District. Laborers must test negative for Covid-19 to leave Go Vap District for work - PHOTO: PHONG VU

HCMC – Laborers who reside in Go Vap District and District 12’s Thanh Loc Ward in HCMC, which are practicing social distancing in accordance with the prime minister’s Directive 16, must test negative for Covid-19 to leave these areas for work.

The HCMC government on June 3 also asked State agencies and units to ensure that no more than half of their employees work at their headquarters.

Those in charge of important and special jobs that cannot be done at home must test negative for Covid-19 to go to their agencies. The heads of these agencies will provide appropriate accommodation for them, which is not in Go Vap and District 12’s Thanh Loc Ward.

As for agencies headquartered in Go Vap District and Thanh Loc Ward, no more than a third of their employees will work at the headquarters.

The reception and return of administrative documents to residents and enterprises should be done through postal services.

Agencies should prevent the stagnation of work, especially public services.

In related news, the HCMC Center for Disease Control (HCDC) last night took samples from some 30,000 workers of 22 enterprises in the Tan Thuan Export Processing Zone in District 7.

In the afternoon of June 2, a team of the Cu Chi General Hospital also took samples from 5,000 workers from 14 companies at the Tay Bac Cu Chi Industrial Park in Cu Chi District.

Huynh Van Tuan, chairman of the HCMC Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority’s labor union, said the city would quickly take samples from workers in 17 export processing and industrial zones in the city. These zones currently have nearly 280,000 laborers, including over 2,600 foreigners.

On June 1, more than 25,000 workers at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Thu Duc City had their samples taken. Tomorrow, HCDC will continue taking samples from 45,000 workers in the park.