How enterprises in Ho Chi Minh are maintaining production and preventing Covid

It is expected that about 5-10% of enterprises will resume production in safe conditions for epidemic prevention and control until September 15th. Enterprises will choose one of four new options from now until September 15, according to the plan of the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

According to preliminary report after 1 month of implementing Directive No.16 and the plan to implement urgent measures to prevent and control the Covid-19 epidemic according to Resolution 86 of the Government, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City proposed 4 options for manufacturing enterprises during the implementation of social distancing for the next 1 month until September 15, 2021.
 

About 5-10% more of enterprises will reorganize production

Specifically, in terms of production, supply, circulation and transportation of goods, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City set the goal of stabilizing safe production. Moreover, this City will not let the supply chain, food manufacturing or medical supplies were broken. They aim to raise the rate up by 5-10% of enterprises to re-organize production in safe conditions for epidemic prevention and control.

In addition, it is necessary to prepare a source of essential goods to serve the consumption needs of the people from now until the end of September. This is to ensure the supply chain and food commodities for more than 10 million people in the city with quality and reasonable price.

So far, Ho Chi Minh City have affirmed that they will create conditions and guide businesses to organize safe production with 4 conditions of epidemic prevention. The enterprises will choose one of following 4 options:

- Option 1: To continue implementing the "3 on-site" option (manufacturing, having meals and resting right at workplace) or the flexible "3 on-site" option (manufacturing, having meals and resting right at workplace and according to production shifts).

- Option 2: continue to implement the flexible "1 road - 2 locations" option or the flexible "1 road - 2 locations" option (workers only move on 1 path connecting 2 locations which are workplace and concentrated accommodation).

- Option 3: to organize activities under the motto "4 Green" including green human resources, green roads, green production areas and green accommodation. Accordingly, "green workers" are allowed to go by personal vehicle to the workplace, do not stop along the road and do not pass through areas with high and very high risk of infection within suitable time frames.

- Option 4 is a combination of methods mentioned in the above options.

Rgarding the supply of goods, in addition to the supermarket channels, convenience stores, traditional markets and safe market models, the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City requested the addition of a new distribution method which is to bring agricultural products and food directly from factories, farms to consumers through connecting suppliers to bring agricultural products and food directly to people, blockade areas, etc., under the same-price program. It is supposed to help people have access to fresh, quality and affordable food.
 

Enterprises in industrial zones propose the option "2 on the spot - one green area"

In order to remove the inadequacies after the implementation of "3 on-site", the Association of Industrial Park Enterprises in Ho Chi Minh City (HBA) has just proposed to implement the option "2 in place - one green area".

With this motto, workers will produce on spot, have meals on the spot, but take rest in which the "green area" is "safe area". Mr. Nguyen Van Be - Chairman of HBA – said that this option through the pilot proposal of the Association of High-Tech Parks (SBA) and the opinions of many enterprises in EPZs and IZs about the need to improve the current method "3 on-site".

Enterprises will accompany the government to build a "green zone". Specifically, the accommodation of workers, which can be private houses/rent/hotels. However, first of all, places must be located in the “green zone” and selected by enterprises to ensure travel by car or centralized transportation.

When implementing this option, enterprises must closely connect with neighborhoods, rent owners and local authorities to support and coordinate. It is to strengthen the construction of a green area inhabited by workers. All costs for this option may be much more expensive than other options but workers can live more comfortably.

To do this, HBA proposes to the Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City Industrial Parks (HEPZA) and the Management Board of Ho Chi Minh City High-Tech Park (SHPT), the Infrastructure Investment Company of the Support Zones, to create favorable conditions for enterprises to connect with the region and local authorities to build up green areas where workers live.

According to the City Business Association. In Ho Chi Minh City, many businesses in Ho Chi Minh City had to temporarily suspend production because the "3 on-site" model faced difficulties. Many business could not be maintained for a long time because of its huge cost, limited area and the number of workers. Due to the large number of people, the application of "3 on-site" encounters many risks, leading to new pandemic outbreaks. In particular, after the application period, workers' psychology was not good. Workers did not want to stay in factories or hotels for long time, so enterprises urgently now recommend changing the model to ensure a longer plan in both preventing epidemic and maintaining production.