Singapore confirms 611 Covid-19 cases; working from home to remain as default

Singapore

A TOTAL of 611 new coronavirus cases were preliminarily confirmed on Friday, including three Singaporeans and permanent residents.

The Ministry of Health said the bulk of the remaining cases are foreign workers living in dormitories.

The new cases take Singapore's total to 33,860.

Separately, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said that when the circuit breaker ends, all companies - including those resuming operations in the first two phases of the economy's re-opening - should adopt working from home as a default option.

This means that employees who have been working from home must continue to do so, and should go to the office only when there is no alternative.

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Checks will be conducted to ensure that this is being done and businesses that do not ensure that employees work from home where possible, or whose workers do not adhere to safe management measures, may have to close their workplaces.

To reduce the risk of Covid-19 transmission in the community, employees who must work from office and those visiting workplaces should minimise socialising in the first two phases of the economy's re-opening.

MOM, in its press release, also gave more updates on safe management measures that companies should take.

All social gatherings, such as birthday celebrations and team-bonding activities at the workplace, must be cancelled or deferred.

"Employers must ensure employees do not socialise or congregate in groups at the workplace, including during meals or breaks. Employers should not organise social gatherings outside the workplace and also remind employees not to socialise, both during or outside working hours," added MOM.

To streamline processes, the SafeEntry digital check-in system has been enhanced to allow workers to make health declarations when they enter their workplaces, including stating that they do not have fever or flu-like symptoms and that they are not under a quarantine order or stay-home notice.

Previously, employers had to record these declarations separately and keep them for 28 days. Now, they no longer have to keep these records as long as the declarations are made upon check-in via SafeEntry. THE STRAITS TIMES