Ho Chi Minh City discusses economic recovery plans

The Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council opened a meeting on October 18 to discuss plans to revive the city’s economy, which has been severely hit by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le speaking at the meeting
Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le speaking at the meeting

According to reports presented at the meeting, prolonged social distancing caused the municipal economy to contract by 4.98% in the first nine months of 2021 and the full-year figure is expected to be about 6%.

Ho Chi Minh City Vice Chairman Le Hoa Binh said one of the measures to be taken by the city to revive economic growth is to improve the investment climate.

He said a working group will be set up to deal with difficulties for enterprises affected by COVID-19 while dialogues with the business community will be held to promptly address their problems.

The city has also introduced a detailed plan on fighting the coronavirus in its new stage, during which the reopening will be carried out in a cautious manner with the principle of safety first.

It is working with provinces in the region to ensure the smooth flow of goods and people, gradually returning the people’s lives to the new normal state.

Ho Chi Minh City is also remaining proactive in accessing sources of vaccine and COVID-19 treatment drugs, procuring medical equipment and inoculating children as soon as the Ministry of Health guidelines and vaccines are available.

According to the Chairwoman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Nguyen Thi Le, the city has basically brought the outbreak under control, with new daily infections falling to only three digits.

The ratio of adults inoculated with at least one dose has reached nearly 99% while more than 76% have been fully vaccinated.