His instructions follow repeated pleas by e-commerce companies and manufacturers to quickly vaccinate shippers to meet the rising demand for delivery since in major cities people are forced to stay at home due to Covid-19 outbreaks.

On August 2 hundreds of delivery people were vaccinated in Ho Chi Minh City.

Even otherwise delivery companies have reported major difficulties amid social distancing, with authorities only providing vague definitions of "essential goods" and the delay in vaccination discouraging shippers from working.

HCMC allows the latter to operate but only within a district. Hanoi has refused to allow ride-hailing companies such as Grab, Be and Gojek to operate.

Over eight million people have been vaccinated but only 820,000 have received two doses.