HEPZA has also sent a document to infrastructure development companies and enterprises in export processing zones and industrial parks on strengthening a number of preventive measures.

It requires factories to comply with the requirements and regulations of the Steering Committee for Covid-19 Prevention and Control and strictly instruct employees staying on site not to leave the workplace.

Businesses engaged in manufacturing with the stay-at-work model are being allowed to continue operations in industrial parks (IPs) and export processing zones (EPZs) in HCMC to create favorable conditions for limiting disruptions to the production chain and ensuring job stability for workers.

The HCMC People’s Committee had recently requested the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and HEPZA to coordinate with the People's Committee of Thu Duc City and districts to strengthen inspection and supervision of enterprises, and allow businesses to continue operating if they meet the requirements for epidemic prevention and control.

HEPZA also confirmed that it is not accepting new registrations from businesses wanting to apply the stay-at-work model for production.

Enterprises cannot change, add or reduce laborers who are both isolated and engaged in production, except in emergency cases where leaving the production place cannot be avoided. Businesses have to strictly carry out Covid-19 tests every seven days.

The enterprises cannot apply the alternatives to stay-at-work model until further notice from HEPZA.

From August 23 to September 6, the HEPZA management board will not entertain requests for addition or reduction in the number of workers.

HCMC, epicenter of the latest Covid-19 wave with nearly 176,000 cases to date, has 1.3 million factory workers. Of the 320,000 that work in 17 export processing zones, hi-tech parks and industrial zones for 1,600 companies, 80 percent have been vaccinated.