All have recorded consecutive decreases in the number of new infections in the past three weeks aside from reporting increases in vaccine coverage and the number of "green zones," or safe residential areas where no new cases are detected in 14 consecutive days.

Of the five districts where the Covid-19 situation has stabilized, District 1 in the heart of Ho Chi Minh City is considering reopening its two most famous markets, Ben Thanh and Tan Dinh, to serve the demand for food trading and tourism during the "new normal" phase, said its chairman Le Duc Thanh.

The district's economic office will be in charge of guiding businesses to register for resuming operation in accordance with the Health Ministry’s set of criteria on pandemic prevention and safety, he said.

"The district will create maximum conditions for businesses to gradually restore the economy" depending on the pandemic situation, he said.

In Thu Duc City, which includes the former District 2 and home to a large expat community, plans are now under development to step by step recover socio-economic activities now that the outbreak has been brought under control.

Nguyen Van Hieu, Thu Duc’s Party chief, told a city meeting last week it has targeted to cover 40 percent of local residents over 18 with the second vaccine dose by Thursday and issue the "green pass" to all Covid-19 recoveries in Thu Duc so they could engage in socio-economic activities.

The other districts that have also realized all criteria on Covid-19 control are Nha Be, Go Vap, Phu Nhuan, and Tan Binh.

Before them, Districts 7, Cu Chi and Can Gio were the first to make such an achievement.

The epicenter of Vietnam’s fourth Covid-19 wave, HCMC is finalizing measures to ensure Covid safety and socio-economic recovery as it lifts the lockdown on Oct. 1.