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Rostered routine testing regime for Covid-19 no longer needed from March 29: MOH

SINGAPORE — Rostered routine testing will no longer be mandatory for all sectors from March 29, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Thursday (March 24).

Vaccinated migrant workers will no longer need to do an antigen rapid test before visiting recreation centres or going about their activities within the community.
Vaccinated migrant workers will no longer need to do an antigen rapid test before visiting recreation centres or going about their activities within the community.
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SINGAPORE — Rostered routine testing (RRT) will no longer be mandatory for all sectors from March 29, the Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Thursday (March 24).

In explaining the decision, MOH said in a statement that the high vaccination and booster coverage among people working in these sectors, who still require such testing, along with their strict compliance to specific safe management measures, will be enough to protect the workers, now that peak of the Omicron coronavirus wave has passed. 

MOH's latest announcement follows its move last month to allow many sectors that were required to conduct routine testing to do away with it from Feb 18.

Only certain sectors catering to vulnerable groups and some essential service workers needed to continue with routine testing. These included workers in the healthcare and eldercare sectors, as well as those who work with children aged below five.

Thursday's announcement means that this group of workers will also no longer have to do routine testing from next Tuesday.

MOH also said that in line with this change, government subsidies provided for companies conducting rostered tests will also end on the same date. 

"Employers and businesses who wish to impose regular testing at the workplace at their cost may continue to do so," it added.

"Individuals are still encouraged to self-test when they feel unwell or had recent contact with an infected person, and to follow the necessary health protocols if they test positive." 

Companies should continue to allow their employees to rest at home when they contract Covid-19, without the need for a medical certificate or recovery memo, MOH said.

WORKERS LIVING IN DORMITORIES

Separately, MOH said in its news release that the safe management measures for migrant workers living in dormitories will be aligned with those for the community.

In addition, from April 1, vaccinated migrant workers will no longer need to apply for exit passes to visit recreation centres.

The requirement for exit passes will then apply only to unvaccinated migrant workers who will also have to take a pre-visit antigen rapid test before visiting the centres.

As for community visits, the quota for such slots for migrant workers will remain the same at 15,000 for weekdays and 30,000 for weekends and public holidays.

However, migrant workers will no longer need to do a pre-visit rapid test. 

"To safeguard unvaccinated migrant workers against infection, they would still not be allowed to visit the community," MOH added.

Related topics

Covid-19 MOH Migrant Workers dormitory vaccination Covid-19 testing

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