Society

Nearly 24 million employees hit by Covid-19 have been given a total of VND21.89 trillion ($961.76 million) out of a support package of VND26 trillion ($1.14 billion). The Unemployment Insurance Fund has also supported more than 540,000 workers affected by Covid-19, with a total amount of VND1.25 trillion ($54.92 million).

The nursing home market in Vietnam is still very much in its infancy. Only 32 of the country’s 63 cities and provinces have specialized facilities for the elderly, so demand for nursing homes and elderly care centers is huge. The State is now perfecting mechanisms and policies to encourage private enterprises to join the market and expand the nursing home network.

Over 1.8 million employees of more than 53,000 employers have been approved by Vietnam Social Security (VSS) to receive support from the government's VND26 trillion ($1.1 billion) package.

While social housing supply has fallen short of requirements, Ho Chi Minh City is to build 300,000 apartments for workers in the near future. There were 248 social housing projects implemented in the entire country in 2015-2020 period, with about 100,000 units, or just 41.4 per cent of the plan.

Covid-19 resulted in employment numbers falling sharply, with growth in both unemployment and underemployment at unprecedented levels in the third quarter of 2021. Only in agricultural has the workforce increased.

Under a decision from the Ministry of Transport piloting interprovincial passenger transport in the “new normal” and with safe adaptation, flexibility, and effective control of Covid-19 in mind, from October 13 to 20 each interprovincial transport company is allowed to conduct a minimum of 5 per cent and a maximum of 30 per cent of journey quotas assigned by local departments of transport. Passengers are to ensure they follow pandemic prevention measures.