Plastic companies propose debt relief, tax reduction, and on-site isolation for COVID-19 cases at factories News       16/08/2021

(ĐTTCO) – The complex development of the pandemic in Ho Chi Minh City and many southern provinces has led to more than 50% of plastic businesses having to close down, suspend production, or operate at a limited capacity, as they are unable to comply with the “3 on-site” or “one route, two destinations” plan.

Plastic enterprises are seeking support for F0 isolation at their factories.

The Vietnam Plastics Association (VPA) has sent a document to the Prime Minister and relevant ministries, presenting multiple proposals to stabilize production amid the ongoing complex pandemic situation, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces.
The first proposal put forward by the VPA is to extend loan repayment for businesses in the next six months, including both short-term and long-term loans from banks. According to the VPA, many businesses are currently operating at only 30% capacity due to being located in lockdown and isolation areas, with their production efforts reaching only 50% at best. This has significantly impacted their revenue and cash flow.

The VPA also proposes a reduction in annual land taxes for the year 2021 to compensate for the months of suspended business operations during the same year.

Businesses also propose abandoning the requirement that only essential goods can be circulated. Instead, they suggest allowing normal circulation under epidemic prevention conditions, except for prohibited or restricted goods as regulated (as proposed by the Ministry of Industry and Trade on July 27, 2021).
In the case of factories with F0 cases, VPA recommends that businesses should be provided with specific guidance to avoid confusion.

According to VPA, if a factory detects a F0 case, they can apply the principle of “cleaning where the infection occurs and continuing operations.” The factory should undergo disinfection following the guidelines provided by the Ministry of Health.

For F0 cases, businesses will isolate them within the factory and manage them according to the same guidelines as home isolation for F0 cases currently implemented in Ho Chi Minh City. If F0 individuals are in good health, they can still work as long as they do not come into contact with non-infected individuals.

For F1 cases, immediate PCR testing and subsequent testing after 7 days are necessary. F1 individuals within the department of an F0 case can continue working after 3 days of disinfection and will be managed based on similar guidelines as the current F1 home isolation measures implemented in Ho Chi Minh City.

Regarding the “3 on-site” production plan, VPA member companies recommend discontinuing the implementation of the “3 on-site” production model. The reason is that the cost of organizing production under this plan is significantly high, and many businesses, especially small and medium-sized enterprises or those with a large workforce, lack the financial capacity to implement it…
Notably, VPA recommends that the government conduct timely inspections and intervene to prevent shipping companies from arbitrarily increasing prices and fees, as has been the case for over a year.
Currently, the plastics industry in Vietnam comprises approximately 3,000 businesses, with over 70% of them operating in neighboring provinces such as Binh Duong, Dong Nai, Long An, and Tay Ninh.

Source: https://saigondautu.com.vn/doanh-nghiep-doanh-nhan/doanh-nghiep-nhua-de-xuat-gian-no-giam-thue-cho-cach-ly-f0-tai-nha-may-94724.html