Bars, karaoke and massage services will reopen next week in HCMC, the city’s People’s Committee announced on Tuesday.

According to an official document signed by Deputy Chairman of the People’s Committee Duong Anh Duc, all bars, karaoke shops, dance clubs, and massage businesses can reopen from January 10.

These businesses will have to meet the safety criteria of the city and localities will evaluate the pandemic situation, allow the reopening, and adjust depending on the pandemic situation of each locality.

On December 24, the Department of Culture and Sports sent a document to the city’s Standing Committee for COVID-19 Prevention and Control proposing the reopening of these services.

Under the safety criteria for bars and dance clubs released by the city last October, these businesses must meet 10 criteria.

Accordingly, staff and customers must be fully vaccinated for at least 14 days or a recovered COVID-19 patient within the last six months. They both have to wear face masks. These businesses also have to make sure to have space of more than 4sq metres per customer, have temperature checks for all staff and customers, and not to use or serve staff and customers with symptoms like fever and coughing. — VNS