The world's largest electronics contractor Foxconn issued three notices consecutively on Sunday to its factory workers at the Zhengzhou park in Central China's Henan Province, saying that arrangements and security protection measures have been made for employees who volunteer to stay in the park and those who wish to return home, after video clips that showed some workers allegedly from the park walking back home due to a COVID-19 outbreak sparked heated discussion during the weekend.
In Sunday's three notices, the company said that for the employees who voluntarily stay in the factory, the government and the company will jointly guarantee their normal production and life order, protect their health safety and legitimate rights and interests, and improve their living and working environment.
For employees who want to return home, to ensure their safety, the administrative committee of Zhengzhou Airport Economic Zone and the company will organize staff members and vehicles to serve their needs. The notice also provided the location and phone number for workers to choose.
Facing reports that showed concern about those employees, the company said in a statement released on Sunday evening that it is continuing to implement quarantine measures at its Zhengzhou park under the guidance of the government. And it has implemented measures including closed-loop management, point-to-point commuting, daily nucleic acid and antigen screening, free meals for employees, a 24-hour care hotline, and volunteer services. The Group will continue to provide employees with accurate information on epidemic prevention.
This round of the epidemic spread fast, but the viral load is low. So far, no serious infections have occurred at the Zhengzhou park, and the epidemic is generally under control, the statement said.
The outbreak in Foxconn has also raised concerns among local governments in Henan Province.
On Sunday, several cities and counties in Henan, including Yuzhou, Changge, Qinyang, and Xuchang, have issued open letters to Foxconn workers, saying they were ready for their registered employees to return home. All regions said those who really need to return should report in advance and implement point-to-point services and quarantine measures.
According to the open letter from Xihua county published on its official Wechat account, local authority will arrange special buses to carry out pick-up services at the Zhengzhou park from Sunday. For the sake of safety, the requirement of 7-day centralized quarantine plus 3-day health monitoring shall be implemented after returning home, the letter said.
