PetroVietnam presses ahead with vaccination campaign

The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam) is one of the first state-owned enterprises launching their vaccination scheme for workers (Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The Vietnam Oil and Gas Group (PetroVietnam), one of the first state-owned enterprises launching their vaccination scheme for workers, is drastically implementing the work to ensure the health of employees and uninterrupted business and production.

Officially launched on May 12, the scheme prioritises workers directly involved in production operation or working at construction sites and oil rigs. It has been carried out in all PetroVietnam units located across the country, with thousands of employees receiving jabs.

A health worker gives COVID-19 vaccine injection to an employee of  the Binh Son Refining and Petrochemical JSC (BSR) (Photo: PetroVietnam)

At the Vietnam – Russia oil and gas joint venture Vietsovpetro, a vaccination office was established. As a result, within June, there were 671 Russian experts inoculated with the Sputnik-V vaccine and 1,404 Vietnamese with the first shots of AstraZeneca.

The Phu My Fertilizer Plant was among PetroVietnam units prioritised for vaccination with Astrazeneca, as it produces some 2,450 tonnes of urea and 1,000 tonnes of NPK serving local farmers at a time when the fertilizer market is facing goods shortage and high prices.

Employees of PetroVietnam receive the 2nd shot at the end of June (Photo: PetroVietnam)

Nguyen Dinh Hung, head of the plant’s trade union, said thanks to the attention of the group’s leaders, workers at the plant were happy to vaccinate first and feel more secured in doing their work, keeping the production running and promptly supplying fertilizer for the agricultural sector.”

An employee of PVFCCo gets a COVID-19 vaccine shot (Photo: PetroVietnam)

Tran Thanh Hai, an engineer at the Dung Quat Refinery, said he is proud to make contribution to the safe and stable operation of the refinery, which is the key to the nation’s energy security, and is even more proud and moved when he is counted among important personnel prioritised for vaccination amid a shortage of vaccines.

Waiting for his turn at a vaccination point of the Vietnam petroleum institute in Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Van Hieu from the PetroVietnam General Services Joint Stock Corporation (PETROSETCO) expressed his excitedness to be vaccinated in the context of the city’s COVID-19 outbreak.

(Photo: PetroVietnam)

Nguyen Viet Toan, an engineer at the Nhon Trach 2 thermal power JSC, said the company has taken the initiative in arranging for staff members to stay inside the plant to ensure uninterrupted operations and contacting the Dong Nai health department to register for vaccination. As a result, 90 out of 177 employees at the plant were among the first group of people in the province to be vaccinated on June 21.

(Photo: PetroVietnam)

In the southernmost province of Ca Mau, Le Van Nguyen, from the PetroVietnam Camau Fertilizer Joint Stock Company, said production safety is always placed first, with the firm drastically implementing pandemic prevention measures, including an emergency quarantine of 250 employees at its plant. Nguyen was among 70 staff members of the company to be vaccinated on June 17.

Mechanic engineer Tran Huu Dang at the Bien Dong Petroleum Operating Company (BIENDONG POC) said “I was glad to be among a prioritised group for vaccination.” To deal with complicated development of the epidemic, the BIENDONG POC has applied a new policy of four weeks working at oil rigs and four weeks off including 21 days of quarantine before leaving the shore for the oil rigs, he informed.

On June 26 and 27, the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PVOIL) conducted a vaccination drive for all of its 2,000 workers in Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition to joy and excitement over the vaccination, there were also anxiety and hesitation over its reactions. However, all interviewed people agreed that vaccination is necessary and there is no need to panic.

(Photo: PetroVietnam)

Vu Van Tuan from the petroleum processing research & development center VPI- PVPro, said he is not afraid of vaccination because no vaccination is even more dangerous. He hoped everyone will get the shots so life will be back to normal.

Truong Quang Huy from the Ca Mau gas company said he was tired and in fever 12 hours after his shot but the symptoms disappeared in two days.

He noted he feels more secured following his inoculation, saying vaccination is safe and shows your responsibility toward society and others people.

Ngo Thi Minh Xuan from the Vietnam Petroleum Institute (VPI) said she was not too worried as the vaccination procedure was tightly monitored from online health declaration, pre-vaccination consultation and screening, and post-vaccination monitoring. Xuan is now waiting for her second shot.

According to a Vietsovpetro's representative, by the end of June 26, all of its vaccinated employees were in normal health, with no abnormal reactions recorded. This was also a proof that the vaccination facility of the Vietsovpetro Medical Center has met the very strict requirements of the Ministry of Health and is ready to become one of the vaccination centers for the oil and gas sector in Ba Ria – Vung Tau./.