Mass exodus from Ho Chi Minh City, triggering fears of labour shortage
HANOI: Tens of thousands of people, mostly migrant workers, left Ho Chi Minh City over the weekend as the largest metropolis in Vietnam eased a months-long Covid-19 lockdown, triggering fears of labour shortages and more disruption to manufacturing.
The exodus comes as the city and its nearby industrial provinces struggle to ensure sufficient workers to help revive the country's economy, which posted a record gross domestic product slump in the third quarter due to Covid-19 curbs.
"We left our home behind for the city in search of better jobs, but now we are tired," said Ms Tran Thi Them, 32, as she queued for a compulsory virus test before leaving.
"We are going home to farm and raise cattle," she said, as she headed to her village in Dong Thap province in the Mekong River Delta with her husband and their eight-month-old baby.
Ms Tran Thi Them lost her job at a garment factory in July, when the city began imposing curbs, and has been confined to her 10 sq m rented room.
Nearly 90,000 people have left Ho Chi Minh City since Friday, state media reports show, on worries they would get stuck again if there was another wave of infections.
"Please don't leave and stay to work," said vice-chairman of the city's People's Committee, Mr Le Hoa Binh. "The city is facing serious labour shortages."
Such shortages would add to the woes of labour-intensive businesses that are already struggling due to the lockdown.
"We are facing a huge labour shortage," a sub-contractor of Coteccons Construction said on condition of anonymity as he was not allowed to speak to media.
"We have only 60 per cent of the labour force needed for our projects, and it is difficult to recruit more workers now."
Vietnam has one of the lowest vaccination rates in South-east Asia, with less than 11 per cent of its 98 million people having received at least two doses.
It has reported 808,000 cases and more than 19,700 Covid-19 deaths, with Ho Chi Minh City accounting for nearly half and 77 per cent of them, respectively. - REUTERS
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now