SINGAPORE, Feb 4 — From tomorrow, foreign domestic workers and confinement nannies who have recent travel history to higher-risk countries or regions must take a serology test on arrival, which will help identify those who have recovered from an old Covid-19 infection.
In a statement yesterday, the Ministry of Manpower (MoM) said this additional test will allow these workers to be released early from their stay-home notice in Singapore, as they already have antibodies from their past infection.
Employers of these recovered workers will see lower stay-home notice costs, the ministry said.
The serology test will be added on to the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test that has been a requirement for foreign workers arriving here since January 24.
A PCR test is used to detect active Covid-19 infections. The number of imported Covid-19 cases in Singapore has remained high over the past weeks.
Fifty-five imported cases were recorded last Saturday, the highest in a single day since September 11 last year. Thirty-two of the cases were foreign domestic workers.
In its statement, MoM added that all newly arrived work permit and S Pass workers in the construction, marine and process sectors from higher-risk countries or regions will have to stay at a designated facility for an additional seven-day testing regime, after completing their 14-day stay-home notice.
Previously, only those headed to dormitories needed to undergo the additional seven-days’ testing.
This new requirement will also begin tomorrow and applies to workers who have yet to complete their 14-day stay-home notice by then, as well as all new arrivals to Singapore from that day. ― TODAY
