Vietnam brewer Sabeco aims to secure COVID vaccines for workers

Other companies expected to follow suit as government signals private purchases

Bottles of beer move along a production line at a factory of Saigon Beer Corporation (Sabeco) in Hanoi © Reuters

LIEN HOANG, Nikkei staff writer

June 3, 2021 16:54 JST

HO CHI MINH CITY -- Vietnam's biggest brewer is working to procure coronavirus vaccines for its workers amid a debate about whether private purchases would compete with the government or aid its inoculation efforts.

Thai Beverage-backed Sabeco said Thursday that it aims to secure COVID vaccines for as many as 12,000 employees in Vietnam, which had succeeded early in containing the pandemic but is now battling a renewed outbreak.