Solutions in Singapore and Thailand to halt clusters in workplaces

PETALING JAYA: When Covid-19 clusters began to emerge among foreign workers in Singapore last year, it dominated headlines across the republic as it was the first time four-digit daily new cases were recorded.

The spike in Covid-19 clusters involving foreign workers in Singapore exposed the vulnerability of workers dormitories, as cramped living spaces became hotbeds for infection.

To address the “workplace clusters”, Singapore then drew up plans to relocate its foreign workers workers by the end of 2020, according to Channel News Asia.

These included quick-build dormitories to accommodate up to 25,000 people over a two to three year period.

Unused state properties, which included former schools and empty factories, will be refitted to house about 25,000 workers.

It was also reported that the Singaporean government was in talks with construction companies to build makeshift dormitories to keep workers near their worksites.

Covid-19 cases in foreign worker dormitories has accounted for more than 90% of Singapore’s almost 60,000 positive cases.

However, there has been a major drop in Covid-19 cases involving foreign workers since last November, where it recorded single-digit or sometimes zero cases.

Last August, Singapore also made it mandatory for all foreign construction workers, among others, to be tested for Covid-19 every fortnight to enable quick isolation and quarantine measures to be mobilised. On Feb 2, Singapore announced plans to vaccinate all migrant workers by the end of the year as part of its national vaccination strategy.

In Thailand, its government is planning to implement the “seal and bubble” strategy to curb Covid-19 in factories at Samut Sakhon, which is the epicentre of the latest outbreak there.

Thailand Foreign Affairs deputy spokesman Natapanu Pokakun said the “seal method” would be used in factories providing on-site accommodation for their workers in order to prevent their workers from leaving the factory compound.

For workers staying outside the factory, the “bubble method” will be used to regulate workers’ movements between their dormitories and their workplace to prevent them from going to other places.

Natapanu said the strategy is expected to bring down Covid-19 cases within 28 days.