MOM unveils timeline to screen and clear foreign worker dorms of coronavirus

SOME 75,000 of Singapore's 323,000 migrant worker dormitory residents have been cleared of the deadly novel coronavirus, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) said on Friday night.

The figure, which was accurate as at June 15, means that close to a quarter of these workers have either fully recovered or have tested negative, and are now living in virus-free housing.

The MOM has also released a timetable for when individual purpose-built dormitories, factory-converted dormitories, temporary housing and other quarters will be certified cleared. For instance, 40 out of 43 purpose-built dormitories are expected to be cleared of the coronavirus by end-July.

The schedule, which is indicative and could still be revised, depends on factors such as the spread of the virus within each dormitory, adherence to safe-distancing measures, and feedback from the Building and Construction Authority and Economic Development Board.

For example, a purpose-built dormitory that had a low infection rate still saw its clearance date delayed by more than one month because its residents failed to keep a safe distance and continued interacting across different rooms, the MOM said in a statement.

The ministry added that workers from cleared facilities will continue to be regularly tested, to avoid the formation of new clusters, as they will be exposed to colleagues who live elsewhere.

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The MOM's list of cleared dormitories and its timeline to clear the remaining worker quarters can be found online at https://www.mom.gov.sg/covid-19/cleared-dormitories.