Many enterprises taking part in the online seminar held recently by Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) expressed their concern about the impact of the fourth outbreak on their business activities.

Vu Duc Giang, chair of the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association (Vitas), said the textile and garment industry is using nearly 3 million workers. A lockdown, if it is imposed, and production suspension, even for half a month, will cause very serious consequences to yearly production plans.

Vaccinations are believed to be the most effective solution at this time. Businesses are all impatiently waiting, and are seeking vaccine sources themselves and are willing to share the vaccination costs.

According to Giang, many foreign invested enterprises (FIEs) in the textile and garment industry have good relations with the European and US governments, which could possibly facilitate the import of vaccines.

Tran Duc Nghia, CEO of Delta International, said the enterprise has nearly 150 drivers. Since late April, when the fourth outbreak began, the company has had to spend hundreds of million of dong on testing.

The revenue of his company has fallen dramatically and there has been no revenue on some transport routes, but the company still has to pay for problems arising because of Covid-19. He said he would rather pay for vaccinations for his workers.

Nghia proposed that the Government work out a mechanism to allow businesses to buy vaccines for their workers, because the vaccination cost is even lower than the testing cost.

Do Thuy Huong, who represents the Vietnam Electronics Association and Supporting Industries Association, said the industries are facing a risk of supply chain disruption, because the latest pandemic resurgence has hit the industrial production centers of Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces.

In such conditions, enterprises would rather pay to vaccinate their workers.

In addition to the vaccination program provided to low income earners, the Government should launch a pay-vaccine program, applied to high-income earners and enterprises that are willing to pay for vaccinations of their workers.

If enterprises can find vaccine sources, vaccines will arrive sooner than the Government's vaccines.

She said the Government needs to allow enterprises to use their channels to negotiate to buy vaccines. In principle, the State will approve the vaccine purchases, control vaccine quality, and supervise the vaccinations.

Cao Hoang Nam from Pepsi Vietnam suggested considering the model now being followed by Indonesia.

The country allows enterprises to make financial contributions to vaccinate their workers and workers’ families. Its health ministry appoints companies and units authorized to import vaccines, while chambers of commerce and business associations register the number of vaccines they need with importers.

The vaccines used at enterprises in Indonesia must meet the requirements of World Health Organization and the health ministry.

“This is the model Vietnam should consider to take full advantage of the community’s strength,” he said.

Do Hong Hanh from Vitas said she knows a company in the Vietnamese American Business Association which is willing to come forward and connect with vaccine producers. They will only pay after the Vietnamese health agency recognizes that they have met standards.

Nguyen Hong Uy from EuroCham said the state budget can hardly pay for vaccinations of all people. In addition to the vaccination program provided to low income earners, the Government should launch a pay-vaccine program, applied to high-income earners and enterprises that are willing to pay for vaccinations of their workers.

A local newspaper reported that 79 percent of European companies in Vietnam are willing to pay for Covid-19 vaccination for their staff,

The Ministry of Health (MOH) aims to obtain herd immunity in 2021 with 150 million injections. To date, only 100 million vaccine doses have been committed.

The ministry has received more than VND1 trillion in cash and goods from people, enterprises and organizations, contributing to the national Covid-19 vaccine fund. However, the amount is very modest compared with the demand.

MOH has held working sessions with the embassies of the countries which have a lot of FDI (foreign direct investment) in Vietnam as well as with representatives of foreign agencies to discuss the supply of Covid-19 vaccines and vaccination of workers in factories and industrial zones

Foreign-invested enterprises have agreed to share costs related to vaccinations of workers, saying that they hope MOH will approve vaccine imports as quickly as possible. 

Tran Thuy

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