The Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) has decided to extend the post-stay-home notice (SHN) testing regime to all newly arrived work permit and S Pass workers in construction, marine and process (CMP) sectors from higher-risk countries and regions.
This is to “further reduce the risk of transmission from newly arrived migrant workers into the workplace”, said the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) in a statement on Wednesday (3 Feb).
Basically, all such workers will have to stay at a designated facility to go through an additional seven-day testing regime, after completing their 14-Day SHN.
Previously, only those headed to dormitories were subject to the additional seven-days testing.
According to the MOM, the new requirement, which will come into effect this Friday (5 Feb), applies to workers who have yet to complete their 14-Day SHN on 5 February and all new arrivals to Singapore from this date.
“This requirement has been in place for newly arrived CMP foreign workers living in dormitories since 6 January 2021,” the Ministry added.
Additional serology tests for newly-arrived maids and confinement nannies with recent travel history to higher-risk areas
Besides that, the MOM also announced that foreign domestic workers (FDWs) and confinement nannies (CNs) who have recent travel history to higher-risk countries and regions will have to take a serology test upon arrival.
“The additional On-Arrival Serology Test will allow for the identification of workers who have recovered from an old COVID-19 infection and have antibodies and can therefore be released from SHN,” said the Ministry, adding that the employers of these recovered workers will “see lower SHN costs”.
This serology test, which will also come into effect this Friday, is in addition to the on-arrival Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test requirement in place from 24 January 2021.
