Shoppers get their grocery cards at Thao Dien market in Thu Duc City. Traditional markets around Thu Duc City are handing out grocery cards and numbered tickets to manage the number of shoppers. — Photo baodautu.vn

Thu Duc City in HCM City is handing out grocery cards and numbered tickets to limit the number of shoppers inside traditional markets.

The initiative aims to create a safe environment for market traders and shoppers, ensuring that supply of essential goods remains smooth amid social distancing within the markets.

Thirty-four wards and traditional markets are tasked with preparing grocery cards on which shoppers register and enter their personal info when they enter the markets.

The cards come with QR codes to quickly identify each shopper in future shopping trips.

Numbered tickets are handed to shoppers at the markets’ entry, and are used to manage and limit the number of people inside at any given time.

City wards and markets have been told to seal off non-main entry gates to create smooth, one-way routes. Staff will focus on the main gates to manage the tickets, cards and number of entries.

Shoppers have to maintain a minimum of 1.5 metres distance from others, and cannot enter the markets without the assigned cards.

Many markets in Thu Duc City have carried out this initiative, issuing more than 5,500 cards to shoppers. Other markets are making preparations to carry it out in the near future.

HCM City is the number one COVID-19 hotspot in the country, with more than 8,500 cases. It has been under a social distancing order since May 31, and began a lockdown for 15 days starting from July 9 midnight under Government Directive 16.

As of July 7, 122 traditional markets in the city had been closed, accounting more than half of the number in the city. The city’s three wholesale markets have been closed as well.

Many markets around HCM City have been assigning grocery cards to shoppers at traditional markets, some of which have been doing so for more than a month. — VNS