HCMC – The Vietnam Association for Supporting Industries (VASI) has suggested that the Government prioritize Covid-19 vaccination for people working in the manufacturing and supporting industries, who are at a considerably high risk for Covid-19.
VASI chairman Le Duong Quang said many enterprises active in the supporting industries are eager to pay for the vaccination of their workers.
According to Quang, prioritizing Covid-19 vaccination for manufacturing workers will help avoid disruptions in the production and supply chain.
Hundreds of Covid-19 infections have been detected in industrial zones in Bac Giang and Bac Ninh, making the two northern provinces the biggest Covid-19 hotspots in the country to date during the fourth Covid-19 wave. Bac Giang Province has had to temporarily shut down four industrial zones to curb the spread of Covid-19.
The Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association has also proposed that the Government and the Ministry of Health prioritize Covid-19 vaccination for apparel companies that employ a large number of workers and are located in pandemic-hit areas. The association said the Government should allow firms to buy Covid-19 vaccines to contribute to fulfilling the goal of achieving herd immunity as soon as possible.
Vietnam currently prioritizes Covid-19 vaccination for 11 groups of people such as frontline medical workers, diplomats, journalists, customs officials, military forces, police and teachers. To achieve herd immunity, the country needs to vaccinate 80% of its population against Covid-19.
According to the Ministry of Health, the country needs to buy 150 million doses of Covid-19 vaccines to vaccinate 75 million people. The total cost is estimated at VND25.2 trillion, including VND21 trillion for purchasing Covid-19 vaccines and VND4.2 trillion for transport, storage, distribution and injection.
The Ministry of Finance has sought the Government’s approval to establish a fund to mobilize contributions, besides the State budget, to buy Covid-19 vaccines for local residents. According to the ministry, the establishment of the Covid-19 vaccine fund is necessary to effectively mobilize and use the money contributed by domestic and foreign individuals and organizations amid the tight State budget.
