Hanoi (VNA) – To maintain business operations amid socialdistancing order caused by the fourth wave of COVID-19 pandemic, it isnecessary to pool the drastic involvement of local authorities, especially flexiblyadopting plans to both fight the pandemic and prevent production disruption.

Difficulties faced byenterprises

Chairmanof the Board of Directors of Son Ha Garment JSC in Son Tay town Pham Huy Vesaid since August, the company has suspended operation to fight the pandemic.Though the “three on the spot” option was arranged, most of workers wished tocome home because they are women residing in the town.

The company suggested cutting the number of local workers from 2,000 toabout 500-800 who have been vaccinated, and arranging production in fiveindependent workshops. It also seriously followed “One route, two destinations”strategy to complete remaining orders. However, the plan has yet to be approvedby the local authorities, Ve said, adding that if delivery of orders isdelayed, the company could lose hundreds of billions of VND or even the market ifpartners seek other suppliers.

Similarly, the TOMECO Mechanic – Electrical JSC based in Ngoc Liepindustrial cluster in the outlying district of Quoc Oai also faced the shortageof workers as most of them do not stay on-site in line with “three on the spot”plan.

Head of the TOMECO’s personnel office Tran Thu Trang said as the cost of “threeon the spot” plan is high while the prolonged pandemic could cause heavy burdenon the company, she proposed allowing workers in unaffected areas to returnhome.

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Vietnam National Textile andGarment Group (Vinatex) Le Tien Truong said the “three on the spot” model couldonly work for a short term and applicable for enterprises with wide factoriesand few workers. For apparel sector, it will be harder due to a large number ofworkers. Therefore, anti-pandemic plans need to be flexible based on commonstandards.

Statistics by themunicipal Department of Industry and Trade showed that since the socialdistancing order is imposed, only 1,077 out of 3,600 manufacturing facilities in industrial clusters and 546 out of 661 enterprises in industrial parks are working.

Production plans need tobe flexible

Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Do Thang Hai said the “three on thespot” strategy previously proved successful in Bac Ninh and Bac Giangprovinces, but it has shown shortcomings in other localities.

The Ministry of Industry and Trade sent a document to the Health Ministrysuggesting the addition of other production methods to make it easier for firmsto choose, such as allowing workers to return home and pledge to follow “One route, two destinations” arrangement with local authorities and their companies,ensure similar measures for F1 cases at home and amending several regulationsregarding production in industrial hubs.

Enterprises alsoproposed allowing them to resume operations, from 30-100 percent as before thepandemic, depending on their safety conditions and the results of the pandemicprevention and control.

In a recent meeting withministries and agencies, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh said the “three on thespot” strategy requires the drastic involvement of departments and agencies andinitiatives of enterprises to tackle difficulties in implementation.

The Government,departments and agencies directed changing priority groups for vaccination, ensuringsmooth goods transportation in combination with fighting the pandemic safelyand effectively, as part of efforts to assist firms, he said.

He affirmed theGovernment’s consistent policy of achieving “dual goals” via harmoniously,reasonably and effectively combining the goals of fighting the pandemic and maintainingproduction and trade, and socio-economic development.

To prevent productionchain disruption, authorities, especially in localities, need to take more  flexible approaches to helping firms amid thepandemic, he said./.