FORTY-TWO FIRMS RESUME OPERATIONS IN COVID-19 EPICENTER

A total of 42 businesses with 7,600 workers have reopened in the northern province of Bac Giang after downing shutters for three weeks to prevent Covid-19 transmission.

The businesses are located in the province’s four industrial parks – Van Trung, Quang Chau, Dinh Tram and Song Khe-Noi Hoang. New Wing Interconnect Technology, electric components manufacturer for Taiwan’s Foxconn, has the highest number of employees among the reopened firms at 1,300.

Enterprises that resume operation have to strictly observe all Covid-19 prevention measures. The workers are required to keep their distance while working in the factories and eating in the cafeterias. Some enterprises have provided workers with dormitories, while others have renovated their factories into accommodation units for the employees.

However, many enterprises are facing a shortage of workers upon reopening, mostly because a part of their workers are still quarantined. Besides, many employees are unable to pass Covid-19 checkpoints and get to work. Some communes have asked that enterprises are only allowed to pick up workers from other provinces if they have tested negative for the novel coronavirus twice, with the latest test a day before entering the commune.

The enterprise with the smallest number of workers going to work is feedstock manufacturer New Hope Company Limited with 24 workers.

Bac Giang Chairman Le Anh Duong has requested localities to promptly conduct the second Covid-19 test for workers who are currently staying home so as to increase the local factories’ workforce.

Bac Giang Province had recorded 3,288 Covid-19 cases as of Tuesday noon since the start of the fourth outbreak on April 27.

Source: Vnexpress