The People’s Council of Ho Chi Minh City has approved a financial package worth VND2.75 trillion (US$120 million) for the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic and support labourers affected by the epidemic.

Illustrative image (Photo: VNA)

The 19th-tenure council’s extraordinary session agreed that the money will be sourced from the city’s budget reserve.

With the package, the city will pay meal subsidiary to quarantined people, COVID-19 patients, and daily allowance to medical workers, military staff and other forces engaged in epidemic control work.

An amount worth VND323 billion will be reserved for the case 10,000 people are quarantined and 100 people need treatment for SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The city plans to spend VND112 billion to ensure three-month supply of face masks for students and environmental sanitary workers.

Teachers and staff members of private pre-school establishments who lose jobs due to COVID-19 but are not entitled to unemployment benefits will receive VND1 million in support each month, with the total amount estimated at VND1.8 trillion.

The package will also pay for the purchase of 10 specialised vehicles for transporting COVID-19 patients, as well as training and communication activities serving the fight against the epidemic.