Da Nang (VNA) – Representatives of foreign invested enterprises and business associations in the central city of Da Nang have made a number of proposals to the city on measures to recover production, one of which is to speed up COVID-19 vaccination for workers, in the hope of quickly resuming full production.

At a meeting with municipal authorities on September 24, they asked for the city's help in regular COVID-19 testing fees for their workers, and favourable conditions for foreign experts to enter the city and the transport of goods. They also hoped to be updated with pandemic control regulations of the city.

Kim Jinmo, Vice Director of the Korea Trade and Investment Promotion Agency (KOTRA) in Da Nang said that Korean businesses support the city's pandemic fight, but the quick change in pandemic response policies makes it hard for them to adjust. He said as the pandemic has basically been contained, the city should build a scenario for safely adapting to the pandemic and maintaining production at the same time. 

Ciprian Bota, Director for Production of Universal Alloy Corporation urged the city to give priority to giving the second shot of vaccine to workers so that enterprises can resume operation at full capability. About 90 percent of workers in his corporation have received the first shot. 

Ikeda Naoatsu, President of the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Danang (JCCID) underlined the need to quickly resume trade connectivity with the outside, as many businesses are suffering from the disruption of supply chains, . He also suggested the city loosen regulations on travel permits, especially for workers.

Secretary of the city Party Committee Nguyen Van Quang said that the ideas given by foreign investors will help the city design a plan for pandemic prevention and control and socio-economic development amid COVID-19.

The city will promptly issue support policies to enterprises and workers, he said, affirming that the city will strive to inject the first COVID-19 vaccine shots to all local workers in early October and the second shots by the end of this year, while supporting local firms with 50 percent of COVID-19 testing fees.

He lauded efforts by FDI firms in pandemic prevention and control, expressing his hope that they will continue to strengthen the application of information technology in pandemic control, while increasing communications among workers on the need to strictly implement COVID-19 prevention measures, and providing support to workers to ensure their normal life./.