A total of 2.4 million jobs have been lost in Vietnam in the first two quarters this year, the biggest reduction for the period in the past decade, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh.

Speaking at a thematic conference held by the Party Committee of the bloc of central agencies in Hanoi on September 15, the deputy minister underlined the severe impacts of the pandemic on production and business activities in most industries and sectors. A large number of enterprises had to suspend operation or dissolve in the past months, seriously affecting the labour market.

He also cited figures of the General Statistics Office, which showed 17.6 million labourers suffered from reduction of income, with average income in the second quarter standing at VND5.2 million (over US$223), down VND525,000 from the first quarter and VND279,000 from the same period last year.

Deputy Minister Thanh stressed that considering the current situation and forecasts on pandemic developments and socio-economic conditions, tasks and solutions should be developed based on the principle of being ready to co-exist with the pandemic.

According to Thanh, solutions in terms of labour, employment and social security from now to the end of the year should address two goals at the same time, which are to help labourers overcome the current difficulties and create firm prerequisites for production and business activities in the long run.

He said there are two main groups of solutions, which are short-term and long-term ones, but both groups should be implemented at the same time.

Besides providing immediate support to labourers and enterprises, it is important to prevent social inequality from arising or worsening due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Thanh said.