Vietnam asks Apple suppliers to secure COVID-19 vaccines for workers

Samsung and other members of the Apple supply chain have been asked by the Vietnam government to secure COVID-19 vaccines for workers at their factories, on top of vaccines being issued by the government.

Apple's suppliers in Vietnam are dealing with an increase in coronavirus cases in the country. In a bid to thwart the uptick, the government is not only supplying vaccines, but also asking firms to secure their own supplies where possible.

The government asked Samsung and other foreign entities to find the vaccines, which can be administered to employees at factories, reports Bloomberg. Chief of the industrial park management board for the northern province of Bac Ninh, Bui Hoang Mai, said "The government is encouraging companies to find COVID-19 vaccines for their workers."

The call for more vaccines occurs alongside requests by authorities for factories to set up on-site sleeping arrangements and other procedures, so that the factories can continue running. On Friday, it was reported one Apple-related factory had split its workforce over two shifts to avoid factory shutdowns.

Bac Giang province, which is also home to some Apple and Samsung suppliers, is currently in the process of reopening factories that were closed at four industrial parks.

Bac Ninh and Bac Giang are the provinces with the two highest community infection cases from April 27th to May 30, with Bac Giang generating 2,118 cases while Bac Ninh reached 804 during the period. Bac Giang's total is more than half the 4,034 local infections recorded in 34 cities across the country during the period.

As well as asking firms to source more vaccines, the health ministry is providing 200,000 vaccine doses each to Bac Giang and Bac Ninh provinces. Workers are anticipated to be vaccinated with the supplies within one week.

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