Given the recent increase in numbers of positive COVID-19 cases reported on 18 September involving factories in Vientiane Capital, the Vientiane Governor decided to request for a lockdown from 20-30 September to restrict the movements of residents in order to slow down the rate of transmission.
The source of the transmission at these garment factories and the scale of the outbreak was a major concern for the Ministry of Health staff who are currently working intensively on contact tracing, sample collection, laboratory testing and case management.
Thousands of workers were tested, and the positivity rates increased from 31 percent or 1 in 3 testing positive on 18 September to more than 50 percent or 1 in 2 testing positive a week later. The number of confirmed cases has also gone above 1,000. Most of these cases involved young working women living in dormitories, they are highly mobile, and have little or no symptoms.
On a visit to these affected factories and dormitories by staff from WHO and relevant ministries, several challenges were identified. Maintaining physical distancing for workers, the lack of proper handwashing station and poor ventilation in some factories was a problem.
Another challenge for the COVID-19 emergency response team was the availability of workers information. Some of these workers may be temporary staff so they do not live in dormitories and their personal information were not updated.
Several ministries are now working with the local authorities and private sectors to locate these staff and close contacts. Individuals or workers from these factories who may be exposed or close contact of those who tested positive are encouraged to come forward and get tested as soon as possible.
The work area at garment factories needs to be organized to prevent overcrowding and it needs to be well ventilated and disinfected regularly
These factories were now ordered to be closed so that risk assessment can be done, and the workers can be isolated if they tested positive. There are safe workplace checklist and guidelines approved by the Ministry of Health that employers must follow before they can resume operations so that workers are protected. Some of the best practices included setting up partition to allow physical distancing, installing handwashing stations, and introducing shift or staggered work hours by dividing workers into two or three groups.
Safe workplace checklist and guidelines for companies
Dr. Bounfeng Phoummalaysith, Minister of Health said “For the lockdown to be effective, everyone must stay at home since we are facing an increase in local transmission of cases. It will take time before the workers at these factories are tested and isolated at designated facilities. The Ministry of Health is working with relevant ministries and partners on surveillance, testing and moving positive cases to isolation facilities to stop the transmission.”
Dr Jun Gao, WHO Officer-in-Charge added that “To stop the transmission of COVID-19, the public must act and follow the public health and social measures which have proven to work. This includes wearing of masks, maintaining physical distancing, washing hands regularly, practicing respiratory hygiene, ensuring adequate ventilation by keeping windows and doors open, avoid eating in groups, preferably limited to two, and vaccinate when it is your turn.”
As many of the workers have been vaccinated, it could be the reason why many of them do not have severe symptoms, since vaccination can help prevent serious illness, hospitalization and deaths. But even if you are vaccinated, you need to follow the preventive measures to protect yourself.
Vaccination sites will remain open, so the public is advised to get the vaccine when it is their turn to do so. Health promotion training will be organized for these workers to promote the public health and social measures that can protect them from COVID-19.
The only way to stop a large outbreak is to follow the movement restriction order, stay home and take the necessary preventive measures. Several ministries are working with the private sector to stop the ongoing transmission, but everyone needs to do their part especially workers from these factories, go for COVID-19 test and get vaccinated.