Vietnamese workers sleep on factory floors to prevent COVID outbreaks

Image Credit: Giang Son Dong/Giang Son Dong

In an attempt to solidify its place in the global manufacturing supply chain, Vietnamese factory workers have begun sleeping on factory floors, hoping to reduce coronavirus outbreaks.

As COVID-19 continues to spread across Vietnam, factories are finally allowed to reopen after a period of closure following strict social distancing protocols.

Now, major manufacturing companies are attempting a new strategy to quell the spread of disease — factory sleepovers.

In the northern provinces of Bay Ninh and Bac Giang, around 150,000 workers are temporarily living on-site at industrial parks to help minimize new infections. In Ho Chi Minh City, two dozen companies are housing 25,000 workers on-site.

According to Bloomberg, workers are sleeping on metal bunks with bamboo mats and cots in makeshift dormitories. Some factories have set up tents for workers to sleep in, requiring the workers to quarantine before returning to work from home.

In addition to living on-site throughout the outbreak, Samsung and other members of the Apple supply chain have been asked by the Vietnam government to secure COVID-19 vaccines for factory workers.

The government has allocated up to 400,000 shots for those working in factories. Currently, Vietnam only has a 4% vaccination rate for its population of 98 million. However, the government hopes to reach a 75% vaccination rate by early 2021.

Apple has various suppliers in Vietnam, including Luxshare and Foxconn, who were forced to shut down their factories in May following a coronavirus increase in the region.

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