On April 11, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Thanh Phong signed a document to be sent to the prime minister on the inspection of implementation of COVID-19 preventive measures at PouYuen Vietnam, where more than 70,000 labourers are working in three shifts and are transported by more than 800 buses every day.

PouYuen Vietnam has more than 70,000 employees working in rotation at its facility every day. Photo: thanhnien.vn

Accordingly, the committee recognised the efforts of the company in implementing sanitation measures to cope with COVID-19.

However, the Committee’s document also stated that PouYuen Vietnam is a tremendously large company, the huge number of employees (and their accumulated needs) cannot meet the requirements of Directive No.16 dated March 31 of the PM and Official Letter No.2601 of the Government Office on prevention measures to fight against coronavirus outbreak.

“PouYuen Vietnam, therefore, has a very high risk of infection, according to criteria from the Steering Committee of COVID-19 Prevention and Control,” according to the document.

According to the committee, the infection risk index of PouYuen Vietnam at April 9 was 81 per cent – above the threshold for halting operations.

On April 6, 2020, Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee issued Official Letter No.1249/UBND-VX outlining the scoring system for assessment of COVID-19 infection risk, applicable for all enterprises.

Based on their risk index, enterprises are allowed to maintain or are ordered to suspend business operations. Enterprises can maintain operations if the rate is less than 10 per cent.

Less than 30 per cent was defined as low risk of infection in which enterprises may maintain operations but must carry out periodic inspections to lower the highest sub-index.

From 30 to 50 per cent was defined as average risk of infection, where enterprises may maintain operations if no sub-index is at 7 or above.

From 50 to 80 per cent was defined as high risk of infection where enterprises must suspend operations until the score is improved.

From 80 to 100 per cent was defined as very high risk where enterprise must suspend their operations.

According to the City People's Committee, if the epidemic occurs at PouYuen Vietnam, the consequences would be extremely serious because of its large workforce and an outbreak would not only affecting the health of the workers of the company itself but also those in neighbouring enterprises of Ho Chi Minh City and other adjacent provinces of Long An, Tien Giang, Ben Tre, and Tay Ninh.

Thus, after considering the benefits of the company and the community, as well as receiving consultancy from other competent bodies, Phong said that the temporary halt of PouYuen Vietnam’s operation was crucial at the peak of the country's efforts to stop the spread of the coronavirus, to protect the health of the company’s workers and local residents.

In previous working visits from the committee to PouYuen Vietnam, the company has shown many different measures to safeguard the health of its workers. These include installing partitions between workers, increasing distance among workers, setting up alternate working hours to avoid a large number of workers at the same place at a time, measuring the temperature of all workers and experts, and requiring all workers and experts to wear masks and keep their hands clean and hygienic. However, due to its sheer scale, these measures cannot make PouYuen Vietnam eligible for operation.

Ho Chi Minh City has more than 450,000 enterprises with less than 4 millions employees.

By April 12, the city has reported 54 cases of infection with 40 were successfully treated and 14 others currently undergoing treatment. VIR

Bich Ngoc

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