PUTRAJAYA: A targeted Covid-19 screening programme for foreign workers based on red zones with a high population of foreign workers will begin on Tuesday (Dec 1).
Human resources minister M Saravanan said the tests will be conducted at private clinics and hospitals, using the rapid test kit antigen approved by the health ministry.
The cost of the test kit would be borne by Socso, the social security organisation, and employers will only need to pay the service charges imposed by the clinics or hospitals. The screening cost for foreign workers who are not Socso contributors must be fully paid by their employers, Saravanan said.
He said the screening would be conducted in stages, with priority given to high-risk areas, starting with foreign workers in Klang and Seremban.
Screening will begin on Dec 9 in other red zones in Selangor, Kuala Lumpur and Penang, while the test for Sabah, Labuan and other districts in Selangor, Penang and Negeri Sembilan will begin on Dec 16, he said.
Saravanan said the screening programme was a collaboration between government agencies and the private sector, comprising screening, monitoring and case management after the test.
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