Nghe An: Businesses and workers in industrial parks struggle to fight the epidemic

The number of F0 cases increased rapidly

In recent days, the epidemic situation in many localities in Nghe An has become complicated. Many areas in localities such as Vinh city, Nam Dan, Hung Nguyen, Nghi Loc are at level 3, 4. Nghe An people and businesses are struggling to cope with the raging epidemic.

Epidemic prevention testing at VSIP industrial park. Photo: Tran Chau

A representative of VSIP Nghe An Industrial Park said: As of February 22, VSIP Industrial Park had 1,252 F0 cases and 1,109 F1 cases. The number of F0 cases is showing signs of increasing after local testing. The number of workers going to work has decreased by 20% compared to February 8 (85% down to 65%), however, businesses still have to maintain production based on the current number of workers going to work to ensure orders. Some businesses such as VN Post and Sangwoo have divided shifts to work and recruited more workers to compensate for the number of F0 and F1 cases absent. Some businesses have a large number of infected people such as ICT 643 F0, Matsuoka: 180 F0.

At WHA Industrial Zone 1 Nghe An, as of 11:00 a.m. on February 21, units in this industrial park including WHA Company, secondary investors, contractors and suppliers in the industrial park have recorded a total of 16 positive cases of Covid.

All cases are being treated according to the recommendations of the Ministry of Health (at home or in the hospital). Currently, the company is still following the 5K and operating normally. For Goertek Company and its subcontractors, the 3T (eating, resting and working on site) is still maintained. After the Lunar New Year, Goertek contractor workers returning to work must be quarantined in a separate Labor Camp area for 7 days. After 7 days, if the test result is negative, they are allowed to start working.

WHA Company, Goertek Company and other units in WHA Industrial Zone 1 - Nghe An organize daily Covid-19 testing for workers and employees. Photo: Tran Chau

Because the number of enterprises is not large, enterprises in WHA Industrial Park are still controlling the epidemic in their units, preparing enough equipment as well as solutions when there are fluctuations, changes or F0 cases appear.

In response to the Covid-19 epidemic,VSIP Nghe An Industrial ParkRegularly coordinate closely with the Southeast Economic Zone Management Board and Hung Nguyen District Medical Center to coordinate and support the treatment of F0s detected at the factory who have returned to their localities to declare quarantine.

Identifying labor as an invaluable human resource at this time, businesses always pay attention to and have health care policies for workers. In VSIP industrial park, for cases far from home, foreign experts are arranged for treatment at the factory or dormitory. For severe cases, they will be transferred to a field hospital.

It is known that the Economic Zone Management Board and the authorities have been guiding localities on regulations to identify F0 and F1 cases and prescribe quarantine periods so that workers can return to work in time, ensuring production and business. In addition, they are propagating to workers in localities not to panic and comply with 5K to return to work soon. Enterprises currently organize daily testing, so testing costs are very high. F0 patients are taken home or to the hospital for treatment, high-risk F1 are arranged to work at home, and lower-risk F1 are arranged in a working environment that ensures a safe distance.

WHA Industrial Zone 1 Nghe An. Photo: Tran Chau

Proposal from business

Mr. Le Pham Hung - Chairman of Hung Nguyen District People's Committee said: Currently, Hung Nguyen District People's Committee has established a separate team of doctors to support treatment, consultation and health care for F0s in the Industrial Park. In addition, the Southeast Economic Committee, the Department of Health, and the District Health Center also closely coordinate and allocate vaccine sources to promptly inject additional/refresher doses for workers who are eligible for booster shots. The authorities also support and answer questions for foreign experts about additional and refresher vaccinations for cadres, workers and laborers.

To control and proactively prevent the epidemic, local authorities support handling gatherings, strengthen control of crowded places where workers stay, eating places, etc.

Discussing recommendations and proposals, representatives of industrial parks in the area all had opinions: Localities need to have specific instructions for businesses on the next steps in handling F0 cases; regulations on how many days F0 and F1 quarantine. Prepare equipment and hospitals for patients in case of severe cases, especially for foreign workers, there needs to be more specific treatment instructions, provide information on drugs for F0 patients to know how to treat at home, avoid serious developments so that they can return to work soon.

The Covid-19 pandemic has severely affected production and business in industrial zones as the number of employees has decreased significantly. New businesses that have just stabilized their production facilities have had to slow down production, affecting the lives of workers due to reduced working hours and job losses.

Enterprises are always passive in arranging labor to ensure production lines when one person is sick today, another is off tomorrow. The cost of disease prevention is high, meetings mainly revolve around dealing with the disease problem. Many businesses that were closed before now have to re-recruit new workers. Meanwhile, recruitment is very difficult due to competition between businesses.

With flexible and creative approaches suitable to the epidemic situation, businesses in Nghe An are making efforts to both ensure safety in epidemic prevention and control, stabilize production, and quickly overcome this difficult period.

Spraying for epidemic prevention at VSIP Industrial Park. Photo: Tran Chau

Nghe An has 13,500 operating enterprises, attracting more than 200,000 workers, many of which are garment and electronics enterprises with thousands of workers.