In the afternoon of August 24 and morning of August 25, many residents in Da Nang complained that they found it still very hard to make orders of food and essential items. How to provide food to locals on time is a matter of high concern for the time being.

A BigC Mall Da Nang shipper is ready to deliver goods to customers. Photo: VAN HOANG

Ms. Le Thi Kim Phuong, Director of the Da Nang Department of Industry and Trade, said that, up to now, the municipal administration has allowed the re-opening of the Da Son slaughterhouse, the largest meat provider in Da Nang. Besides, in the near future, the Tho Quang Fishing Wharf is expected to resume its operation to ensure a large supply of seafood to locals, provided that it must comply with pandemic preventive measures.

The recovery of the supply source of meat and fish products will contribute to partly solving the food shortage as recorded over the past time due to the ‘shelter-in-place’ period during which all Da Nang citizens are banned from leaving homes, even for the purchase of food.

As for goods suppliers, Mr. Phan Thong, Director of Co.opmart Da Nang, one of the largest supermarkets in the city, said: "In order to well meet the public needs of essential goods for the time being, why don’t mobilise the military force to do the shopping for Da Nang locals like in Ho Chi Minh City?”.

Supermarkets can assign only about 30% of the total employees for work under the "3 -on- the -spot’ (on-site production, on-site dining, on-site rest) approach while food pickups and home delivery are conducted by the military force, Mr Thong explained further.

According to a member of Da Nang Pickup Trucks’ Club (PDC Da Nang), it is necessary to mobilise more forces to deliver goods to locals. For example, the Rapid Response Team of this club with more than 100 members once got involved in transporting food to those living in blockaded areas.

"In light of the ‘stay-at-home’ mandate being extended for another 10 days, it is very necessary for this voluntary force to join the delivery of food for the people in need”, he proposed.

Meanwhile, in his perspectives, a man residing in Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District said that it is a good idea to turn buses into the so-called ‘mobile markets’ supplying food and essential goods to locals.

During the practice of heightened pandemic prevention measures, with all activities banned, even the intra-city bus transport service. Therefore, buses should temporarily act as ‘mobile markets’, with each serving food and essential items for each residential area.

When the bus arrives in each neighborhood, local police officers or the COVID-19 prevention task force’ members will use loudspeakers to call out the representative of each household who must stand in lines with a safe distance from others for the pickups of goods here.

Each citizen must do shopping within 10 minutes with the frequency of every 3 days. This initiative can significantly reduce the huge pressure on food pickups and delivery for locals functional local forces are shouldering at present.

According to the representative of a supermarket in the area, in order for the people to access food on time, it is recommended that the local authorities allow all shippers to operate as before, providing they must  test for the coronavirus every 3 days.

Reporting by QUYNH TRANG – Translating by A.T