Many major supermarket chains including GO!/Big C and Tops Market of Central Retail Vietnam and AEON Mall of AEON Vietnam, will open from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. from Oct. 1. Their online shopping channels will also resume operations Friday.

Supermarkets of AEON Vietnam will require customers to scan QR codes. A maximum of 50 people will be allowed to enter the supermarket at a time. The Japanese-invested firm said it has intensified supplies of goods, especially fresh and dried foodstuff.

Supermarket chain Lotte Mart will start receiving customers from 7.30 a.m. or 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. depending on the branch locations. All the staff have been fully vaccinated. Shoppers are required to wear face masks, have temperature checked and make health declarations before entering the stores.

Meanwhile, local supermarket chain Satramart said its Satramart Pham Hung supermarket will operate from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.

HCMC had imposed strict social distancing since August 23, closing down supermarkets, forcing residents to make purchases online or use proxy shopping services.

The city has reported that the Covid-19 outbreak is basically under control in districts 1, 7, Can Gio, Cu Chi, Go Vap, Nha Be, Phu Nhuan and Tan Binh.

Municipal authorities have said residents who have received at least one vaccine shot or recovered from Covid-19 would be allowed to travel starting October, but cannot leave the city on their own.

The southern city, epicenter of the fourth coronavirus wave, has recorded nearly 389,000 Covid cases so far with over 14,700 deaths.