Despite relatively few cases of COVID 19 in Vietnam to date, the outbreak has caused serious disruption to raw material sourcing and seen steep declines in international orders for the nation’s garment industry.  As the pandemic spreads, Better Work is focused on how to ensure effective workplace safety for workers and managers.

Better Work, in liaison with the Ministry of Health, the WHO in Vietnam, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, and the ILO Vietnam Country Office has developed a practical guide for the industry.

The Guide for Better Response to COVID – 19, in Vietnamese and English, provides medical information about the virus, ways to prevent it spreading, safe food management practices, and how to manage workers or supervisors who arrive at the factory from overseas.

A key recommendation is that employers, in conjunction with workers and unions, develop policies and procedures to reduce risk – such as nominating a person or team to implement recommended measures, ensure that workers are encouraged to report illness and provide on-site medical support.

The booklet also provide guidance on compliance questions, such as the importance of continuing to pay workers who have contracted COVID-19 and are not able to come to the workplace or those who suspect they have it, those who present with illness, and other issues concerning pay and leave.    Questions concerning the implications of disruption to supplies are addressed, as is what to do in serious cases where factories are forced to downsize.