Singapore testing all migrant workers in dorms, to clear them to return to work

SINGAPORE is in the process of testing all 300,000-plus migrant workers residing in dormitories for Covid-19, with a plan to allow them "to be progressively cleared so they can safely return to work when the time comes", said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong at a multi-ministry taskforce press conference on Tuesday.

The number of foreign workers reporting with acute respiratory illness has been decreasing, noted taskforce co-chair and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong. But the daily case numbers will remain high for some time due to mass testing, including of asymptomatic workers.

"We are steadily making progress in controlling the outbreak, both in the community as well as in the migrant worker dormitories," said Mr Wong. The taskforce is thus "in a good position to plan forward" to allow more workers to resume work.

But he and Mr Gan reiterated that even as Singapore nears the end of circuit breaker measures on June 1, not everything will re-open at once. More details will be shared next week on what economic sectors or businesses will be involved in the first step of re-opening, with most of them being "more essential services".

The overall plan will have multiple steps, with progress also depending on the number of new cases that arise after the first step, said Mr Gan. If the outbreak worsens, measures may have to be reintroduced.

Asked if visits to family members staying separately might be allowed, Mr Wong replied that the taskforce is "studying this very carefully" and recognises that many people wish to visit their family members.

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As for travel restrictions, these will continue to be reviewed and updated. Singapore is prepared to work bilaterally or with a grouping of countries that are prepared to put in place similar safeguards, such as testing travellers pre-departure or upon arrival. "We continue to work with like-minded parties to see if some of these potential arrangements can be put in place."

As at noon on Tuesday, 884 new cases of Covid-19 were confirmed in Singapore. The vast majority were foreign workers residing in dormitories; three cases were Singaporeans or permanent residents.

Testing of foreign workers in dormitories includes serological tests for dormitories with high infection rates. Such tests may pick up those who had the illness but have since recovered. Mass polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are also being carried out on workers who test negative in serological tests, and workers in other dormitories.

More than 32,000 workers in dormitories have been tested so far. By the end of May, some 20,000 foreign workers are expected to be ready to be discharged back to dormitories.

Asked whether more dispersed housing arrangements for foreign workers would continue beyond this outbreak, MOH director of medical services Kenneth Mak said that this issue was being discussed at the inter-ministry level, with strategies and plans being worked out.

For foreign workers, there are now some 20,000 beds for isolation and care, to rise to 33,000 by end-June. Some 20,500 foreign workers are at decanted sites, with the capacity of such sites to rise to 40,000 by end-June.