Singapore has informed 20,000 foreign workers to stay 14 days in their dormitories. As the coronavirus cases in the city state increase, so that they have to stay at home or work from home.
It segregated two dormitories: one with 13,000 workers and 63 cases, and one with 6,800 workers and 28 cases. Frequently, they are home to South Asian people working in the construction industry.
The “lockdown” begins on Tuesday as the cases increase gradually. Although Singapore was praised for its proactive response to the virus, the number of locally-transmitted cases is increasing.
1. What the Government Announced
There is a closure of two places in Singapore. Those which sealed off are the Punggol S11 Dormitory and the smaller Toh Guan dormitory in the North.
The government said there were the cases in the dormitories and that separation would “keep staff safe [and] protect the broader population from widespread transmission.”
Workers are prohibited to leave their walls. They were told not to mix with people who do not live in their room or floor.
On the other hand, the number of people in a room varies between dormitories. According to BBC visitation, in a new complex, it had 12 people per room. Therefore, this probably can increase the number of the coronavirus cases.
2. How the Condition Looks Like
The employees will earn their salaries, and their employers have the right to claim S$100 a day (£ 57,$67) to cover their salaries.
They’re going to have three meals a day, plus masks, hand sanitizers, and thermometers. Temperatures have to be registered twice a day. In addition, there will be “medical assistance on site.”
On the other hand, six workers in the Punggol dormitory told the Straits Times their center already had cockroaches, toilets overflowing and food queues.
Foreign worker dormitories are private, but if they have more than 1,000 occupants, they must be approved. Singapore has approximately 40 such places.
3. The Situation in Singapore
According to BBC, Singapore has recorded more than 1,300 cases and six deaths. While most cases were originally imported, local transmission is on the increase and 120 new cases were reported on Sunday-the largest daily increase so far.
The government declared a so-called “circuit breaker” program on Friday, similar to the lockdowns seen in other nations. Schools and non-essential companies are set to close this week, allowing people to stay home.
