Nghe An proposes to vaccinate nearly 8,000 people working at markets across the province

According to statistics, in the past time in Nghe An, 22 markets have been locked down due to Covid-19 infections in the localities. Of which, Vinh City has 10 markets; Nghi Loc 3 markets; Cua Lo Town 1 market; Nam Dan 4 markets; Do Luong 1 market; Hung Nguyen 3 markets. In order to stabilize business and trading activities in the markets, especially the markets that have been closed due to Covid-19 infections, recently, localities have been urgently planning to vaccinate people who regularly work in this area.

Vinh wholesale market has been locked down after a Covid-19 infection case appeared. Photo: Quang An

In Nghi Loc district, there are 22 markets, of which 3 markets: Mai Trang Market (Nghi Xuan), Nghi Dien Market, Nghi Van Market have Covid-19 infections and are currently closed, while 19 markets in other localities have been opened, but only about 1/8 of the number of people going to the market every day due to the application of epidemic prevention regulations.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Thi - Head of the Department of Science and Technology of Nghi Loc district said that according to regulations, at least 1 dose of vaccine must be given to people working at markets where there have been infected cases.Covid-19It is very difficult to reopen, because the vaccine allocation target for Nghi Loc district is still low, not even enough to vaccinate all the frontline forces in the district and commune levels of epidemic prevention and control. Meanwhile, statistics at these 3 closed markets show that up to 370 people working and doing business need to be vaccinated.

Many markets in the province need to vaccinate their management and business people, but due to the insufficient amount of vaccines allocated to localities, they have not been able to do so. Photo: Tien Dong

In Nam Dan district, there are 4 markets and 379 people need to be vaccinated before they can reopen; Hung Nguyen district has 3 markets with 173 people needing to be vaccinated. The most is in Vinh city with 10 markets with Covid-19 infections and 3,088 people needing to be vaccinated. Not to mention there are 681 people working at Vinh market and Vinh Railway Station market, although there have been no Covid-19 infections, these are 2 central markets, major business hubs in the city as well as the province, so they also need to be prioritized for Covid-19 vaccination.

Currently, according to our research, in Vinh City there is already5 markets vaccinatedfor more than 1,661 people, these are traders selling essential goods with full personal information, however, there are still some incomplete lists of traders and workers at the market. Therefore, on September 9, 2021, Vinh City People's Committee had to issue Document No. 5894/UBND-KT requesting the People's Committees of wards, communes, cooperatives, enterprises managing, trading and exploiting the market to notify traders to provide personal information, and at the same time continue to review and compile the list of management staff, traders, and people working at the markets who have not received the first dose of the vaccine and send it to the City People's Committee to compile the vaccination list.

Excerpt from the document of Vinh City People's Committee requesting business households to provide information to serve the vaccination. Photo: Tien Dong

Mr. Tran Quang Lam - Vice Chairman of Vinh City People's Committee said that notifying business households to fully declare information before vaccination is mandatory, this is an important condition for reopening the market. If full information is not provided, it will not be updated to the vaccination system and vaccination cannot be carried out according to the regulations of the Ministry of Health.

Mr. Lam also added that the city is making efforts to have enough vaccines to vaccinate 5,216 people working and doing business at markets, and managers and sales staff at supermarkets and chain stores providing essential goods in the area.

Medical staff vaccinates traders in Vinh City. Photo: Quang An

According to Mr. Cao Minh Tu - Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade, in order to be ready to meet the conditions for reopening markets after the lockdown and closure period and ensure epidemic prevention and control at large-scale markets in the centers of districts and towns, contributing to ensuring a smooth supply chain of goods, meeting the essential needs of people,Department of Industry and Tradealso sent a document requesting the Provincial Covid-19 Prevention and Control Command Center to prioritize early vaccination for members of the management board, workers, and essential goods businesses at markets temporarily closed due to Covid-19 infections and some large-scale markets in district and town centers.

Checking up to August 30, 2021, there are 5,222 first priority subjects needing to be vaccinated at 24 markets in Vinh City, Nam Dan, Nghi Loc, Cua Lo Town, Do Luong, Hung Nguyen because they have been locked down due to Covid-19 infections. Particularly at Vinh Market and Vinh Railway Station Market, although there have been no Covid-19 infections, because they are large central wholesale markets, to ensure safety during operation, they have also been put on the priority list.

In addition, the Department of Industry and Trade also proposed the second priority group of 2,586 people working and doing business at 24 markets in Vinh City, Anh Son, Que Phong, Nam Dan, Dien Chau, and 3 towns of Cua Lo, Thai Hoa, Hoang Mai. These are markets with a large number of people coming to exchange and trade goods in the localities.

Nghe An Department of Industry and Trade has proposed vaccinating 7,808 people working at markets across the province to maintain the operation of the supply chain of essential goods for local people. Photo: Tien Dong

Previously, on August 5, 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Trade issued Official Dispatch No. 4728/BCT-TTTN to the People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities on instructions for arranging temporary locations and reopening markets after temporary closure to ensureprevention of Covid-19 epidemic.According to this document, for markets that have been temporarily closed due to Covid-19 infections, when reviewing and reopening the market, 100% of people working at the market must be vaccinated with at least 1 dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

In 2 days (September 7-8), Vinh Cityorganized Covid-19 vaccination for 1,661 traders and management boards of 5 markets, including: Vinh wholesale market, Quyet market, Ben Thuy market, Quang Trung market and Hung Dung market. Cua Lo town also vaccinated hundreds of traders in high-risk markets.