Major suppliers for global brands like Adidas and Nike in Vietnam have had to shut down operations or operating at limited capacity under strict social distancing orders.

 

The situation is becoming serios so the American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) has now requested the U.S. and Vietnam governments jointly to speed up distribution of vaccines to major suppliers of Adidas, Gap and other brands.

 

"We urge you to dramatically ramp up distribution of vaccines, including America’s stockpile of AstraZeneca vaccines, to countries like Vietnam now," Steve Lamar, president and CEO of the association, said in a letter to U.S. President Joe Biden.

 

Immediate and dramatic action by the U.S. will not only save millions of lives worldwide, but could also promote America’s economic recovery, he added.

 

20% of all US imports

 

Vietnam is the second largest supplier of apparel, footwear and travel goods to the U.S., accounting for 20 percent of all U.S. imports, he said.

 

 

"This is why the success of the U.S. apparel and footwear industry, and our three million American workers, is directly dependent on our suppliers around the world, including those in Vietnam, having healthy workforces," he wrote.

 

In a separate letter to Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Lamar urged that the Vietnamese government takes "several key emergency actions to help control the spread of Covid-19, particularly in the south, to thwart a growing humanitarian crisis."

 

More Vaccines Needed

 

The U.S. has already provided five million doses, but the association is advocating that the government supplies more on an urgent basis, he said.

 

Vietnam, particularly its southern localities, is experiencing a severe Covid-19 wave that has recorded over 116,900 infections since the end of April, in which Ho Chi Minh City accounts for 66 percent.

 

Don't want to slow down American consumerism! 5mil vax doses for Amazon. How many for tourist Thailand??? 546,753 Covid+ in Thailand vs 116,900 in V-N in the same people. Sounds like the US is playing favourites.