Two dormitories housing migrant workers were designated as isolation areas on 5 Apr 2020: S11 @ Punggol and Westlite.
This means that for the two dormitories, which houses nearly 20,000 migrant workers, the residents would be isolated and would not be able to go out, either for work or leisure.
Food and essential supplies will be sent to them, and they’ll still be paid as per usual.
The authorities would give $100 daily quarantine allowance to employers for each worker as they’re essentially considered to be under “quarantine”.
And Now, One More Dormitory Is Declared As An Isolation Area
On 6 Apr, the authorities declare Toh Guan Dormitory to be an isolation area after 14 Covid-19 cases were found linked to the dormitory.
The premises under isolation are: 13, 15, 17, 17A, 19 and 19A Toh Guan East
The declaration came into effect at 8.30pm and no outsiders are allowed into the complex, nor are residents allowed to leave the premises.
They are supposed to stay within their own rooms for the next 14 days and avoid the common areas within the premises as well.
Other dormitories with Covid-19 cases include:
- Sungei Tengah Lodge (six cases)
- Tampines Dormitory (nine cases)
- Cochrane Lodge II (four cases)
- And a dormitory at 55 Sungei Kadut Loop (four cases)
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Declaring Dormitories As Isolation Areas Was A “Major Decision”
The authorities have assured, time after time, that isolating dormitories with migrant workers isn’t an act of discrimination.
It was a “major decision” they decide to take after seeing the spike in the number of Covid-19 cases from dormitories in order to protect the community.
On 6 Apr, the Ministry of Health (MOH) revealed that they’ve managed to link 35 Covid-19 cases which were previously unlinked.
Out of the 35, 24 were from dormitories housing migrant workers while 11 others were from non-dormitory clusters.
But The Isolation Areas Aren’t Doing Really Well
You’d have thought that having the chance to rest and do nothing while getting paid all the same will make the workers happy.
But they’re not.
Instead, they’re worried, scared and unhappy about their current living conditions at S11 @ Punggol, one of the two dormitories isolated on 5 Apr 2020.
Food arrived late, cleaning was done so haphazardly that workers could smell the stench of urine from their rooms and the complex was so ridden with cockroaches they crawl around the room in broad daylight.
It was so bad that the residents were unable to stay in their rooms for long.
MOM Has Responded
After their predicament went viral, the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) released a statement acknowledging that they have experienced “teething problems” at the start.
However, they’re working “around-the-clock” and “will continue to improve the conditions for the residents of the dormitories.”
They would like to thank the dormitory residents for their “patience and understanding” as well.
I just hope that the dormitories won’t become the next Diamond Princess.
