The Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training has requested owners of factories and enterprises to allow workers to take a paid day off when they go for a third dose of Covid-19 vaccine.

In a notice on October 11, the ministry said that in line with the government’s strategy to control and prevent the spread of Covid-19 as well as to maintain the stability of production chains and the health of workers, the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces will launch the booster-shot campaign for people free of charge from October 11 onwards.

“In order to join the campaign, the ministry requests that factory and enterprise owners or management allow workers one day off when they go get their booster shot,” the notice said.

The third-dose campaign in Phnom Penh kicked off on October 11. More than one million people in six districts, including factory workers, will be vaccinated by the military.

In Koh Kong province, labour department director Yuk Songvath told The Post that after Pchum Ben more than 90 per cent of factories had administered Covid-19 rapid tests to their workers, with nearly 4,000 of them testing negative.

“But another factory that employs more than 7,000 workers has not yet tested workers. The factory management told us that it had set October 21-23 and 25 for testing because the rapid test kits that it ordered have not yet arrived,” Songvath said.

He added that authorities had no plan in place to prohibit workers from work. However, when there is a positive case, authorities will act according to the health measures in place.

The labour ministry on October 5 issued a notice to owners of factories and enterprises to test workers for Covid-19 nationwide after Pchum Ben to prevent large-scale transmission. It also advised them to adapt to the new normal and prepare for the reopening of economic activity.

“Rapid tests for Covid-19 are on a voluntary basis and owners or the management of factories and enterprises as well as workers themselves will not be fined if they don’t take the test,” it said.