According to VLA, the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic has the potential to greatly affect the operation of logistics service providers and makes the logistics service chain turbulents, which affects the flow of goods in both domestic and foreign enterprises. Since then, creating unpredictable fluctuations in the market and the goal of socio-economic development in this period.
Le Duy Hiep, President of VLA, said that in the context of the country’s current efforts to fight the epidemic, the logistics service industry plays an important role in ensuring the flow of material to meet essential needs of citizens and health workers. Due to the nature of the job, which requires frequent travel through many places, and direct contact with many people, the workforce in the logistics sector is at high risk of infection so, they should be prioritized in COVID-19 vaccination.
Currently, there are over 150,000 employees in fields related to logistics corresponding to more than 500 business members of the Association, including: laborers operating in seaports, airports, warehouses, and inland container depot (ICD); labor directly involved in freight transport activities by sea, river, railway and especially by road (drivers). In addition, employees are warehouse managers, goods distributors or customs clearance workers, delivery, transportation procedures and documents, etc, are also objects of the logistics service industry.
Accordingly, in the official letter sent to the Government Office and the Minister of Health, VLA proposed to give priority in vaccination to the workers including all groups of workers in the logistics service industry.
Unlike concentrated manufacturing activities in factories or industrial parks, logistics is a chain of related services, one after another, stretching across cities throughout the country. If, unfortunately, a few individuals in this field get infected, the risk to the community is extremely high, making tracing and zoning very difficult. Vaccinating will reduce the risk of Covid-19 spread, ensure the smooth flow of goods and materials for people’s lives, production, and especially for disease prevention in the country.
The logistics sector has a low profit margin, hence saving costs is crucial to all businesses, especially office costs. Thus, many organizations have a very cramped working space that will lead to the high risk of disease infection.
Previously, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade – Mr. Do Thang Hai also signed Official Dispatch No. 3150/CV-BCT proposing the Prime Minister to prioritize vaccination against COVID-19 for employees at the retail distribution system to promptly protect workers on the front lines against the epidemic and ensure the supply of essential goods to the community..
The Vietnam Timber and Forest Products Association (VIFOREST) recently also requested the Prime Minister, the National Steering Committee for COVID-19 prevention and control to pay attention and create favorable conditions for the wood industry businesses to order about 1 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine with funds contributed by organizations in this industry and from other legitimate socialization sources.
Van Anh
