HCMC authorities dismissed rumors of a citywide lockdown Wednesday even as anxious residents rushed to supermarkets for stockpiling goods in preparation. 

The Co.op mart on Chu Van An Road in Binh Thanh District had hundreds of customers lining up since early morning.

They waited patiently for their turn to enter the supermarket and other shops to stockpile goods as rumors of an imminent citywide lockdown gained traction.

The city has continued to record surging numbers of new Covid-19 cases, with some industrial parks and residential areas being locked down. 

Authorities dismissed the rumors and assured residents that there will be enough supply of goods to cover all their needs.

After queueing up outside the supermarket, customers had to wait in a lobby inside before being allowing to make their purchases. Some people said they had to wait two to three hours to begin shopping.

The supermarket allowed only 80 customers at a time. Most people bought goods in large quantities, using two or three trolleys. Frozen food, fruits and vegetables were sold out.

Since Tuesday a sales point has been set up inside the Nguyen Dinh Chieu Primary School in Binh Thanh District for those unable to buy at supermarkets.

About a ton of goods is supplied every day, mostly vegetables, fish, meat and eggs. In order to prevent excessive stockpiling, a customer can only buy one pack of each item and five packs of instant noodles.

People began queuing up even before the supply truck arrived.

At 11 a.m., the shelves of vegetables, meat and fish inside a Bach Hoa Xanh outlet on Tang Nhon Phu Road in Thu Duc District were almost empty as people made large purchases since early morning.

The same thing was true of frozen and dry food. “Yesterday I heard rumors of a citywide lockdown so I was concerned and wanted to stock up some things; but this morning, when I came there was nothing left,” said Hoa, a local customer. 

As supermarkets were packed, some chose to shop in grocery stores. At a store on No Trang Long Road, only two people were allowed in at a time.

Placing a bag of goods on her motorbike seat, Ngoc Hanh said: “I placed my orders online three days ago but they have not arrived, so I have to come here and purchase some dry goods with rice and noodles.”

Pharmacies were also busy Wednesday. At one location on Le Quang Dinh Road, people started to arrive early in the morning. Some waited on the road as the pavement was already occupied.

Most people bought masks, hand sanitizers, cold medicines and functional foods.

At a goods transport location near the Eastern Region Bus Station, many people arrived on their motorbikes to receive goods transported from other localities.The municipal department of industry and trade had assured last week that there was food supply of 120,000 tonnes, triple the normal amount, and enough to meet people’s needs.

HCMC is in its fifth day of a 15-day social distancing campaign. The city has recorded over 18,200 local cases in the latest Covid-19 wave.