Seven Mekong Delta textile companies want workers immediately vaccinated against Covid

In a petition they also sent to the province people's committee and the Vietnam Textile and Apparel Association, they have asked for 26,600 doses of vaccines for their 13,300 workers.

They said they are on the verge of bankruptcy after having stopped production in mid-July, but remain in the dark about when they would be able to resume.

"Most customers have canceled orders. Partners cannot continue to wait for us".

Textile firms said: "To win contracts, we have to invest and create samples at least six months in advance and have to ward off a ton of competitors. If we don’t, we will lose our customers and market share".

Some have already been informed by partners that if they do not reopen by September 20 their business would go to others, leaving them without orders for the rest of 2021 and 2022.

Though closed, companies have bought production materials worth dozens of millions of dollars and been paying rents and other expenses.

A survey conducted by the Private Economic Development Research Board and VnExpress in early August found that vaccination was the biggest demand from businesses.

The disruption in production affected Vietnam’s garment and footwear exports in August. According to HSBC, the two industries were the main reason for a 5.4 percent decrease year-on-year in the country’s exports in August.Vietnam is the world's third largest textile and garment producer after China and Bangladesh.