Vietnam’s commercial hub back in business

Ho Chi Minh City on Friday lifted a stay-at-home order that had kept its nine million residents indoors for three months and devastated business in Vietnam's economic hub.

To curb a fast-spreading wave of Covid-19 -- which struck the southern metropolis particularly hard -- residents have been unable to leave home, even for food, and almost all travel in and out of the area was suspended.

Almost half of Vietnam's total 790,000 virus cases were reported in the city, along with three-quarters of the country's deaths.

But after a gradual fall in cases, soldiers began dismantling road barriers on Friday and removing hundreds of checkpoints that had separated city districts.

"I am happy," said Tran Van Vu, who owns a store selling fruit, vegetables and meat and had planned to expand his business before the pandemic.

"During the lockdown our company was affected a lot... we didn't have enough delivery men as they had to be tested every two days and it was costly for the company."

Roads were busy for the first time in months after most businesses were given the go-ahead to reopen and vaccinated people permitted to move freely within the city.