China's virus-hit Xi'an to gradually resume trade in necessities, deliveries, catering services

Volunteer Li Guang carry vegetables at Deshan shared kitchen in Yanta District of Xi'an, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Jan. 5, 2022. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

XI'AN, Jan. 7 (Xinhua) -- Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, will advance the orderly resumption of businesses dealing with the supply of necessities, postal and express delivery services, and the catering industry, amid the latest COVID-19 resurgence.

The city, with 13 million residents, reported 57 locally transmitted COVID-19 cases on Thursday. The new cases brought the total number of local cases in the city to 1,913 since Dec. 9, 2021.

According to a notice issued by the city's epidemic prevention and control headquarters, Xi'an will allow the resumption of business of supermarkets, fresh-food stores and suppliers of other necessities, as well as logistics storage centers and distribution sites, after evaluations of epidemic prevention conditions.

Catering enterprises will receive take-out orders but dine-in services will remain suspended.

Couriers and other staff working for the resumed businesses will be required to carry employment certificates and proof of a negative result from nucleic acid tests taken within the previous 48 hours, the notice said.

The headquarters also announced the policies of giving awards and subsidies to support e-commerce enterprises, residential communities and wholesale vegetable markets to ensure food supplies and deliveries.