Coronavirus latest: Singapore to ease some curbs on migrant workers; Hawaii to let Japan travellers enter quarantine-free

Some of Singapore’s 300,000 low-wage foreign workers, who have been confined indoors since April, will be able to go out to selected areas from October 31

Meanwhile, the US state of Hawaii will soon allow travellers from Japan to enter without serving a quarantine

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Migrant workers in their dormitory room in Singapore. File photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 10:11pm, 28 Oct 2020Updated: 2:36am, 29 Oct 2020

Singapore will allow some migrant workers – who have largely been confined to dormitories – to visit recreation centres as the city state gradually relaxes measures to stem the spread of the coronavirus disease.

The more than 300,000 overseas workers have been confined to their living quarters since April, and have only been allowed out in recent months to go to work and for essential errands, after the coronavirus ripped through the tightly-packed dormitories.

That’s even as life has been slowly returning to normal for locals and white-collar expatriates in Singapore.

The workers will also be allowed to visit restaurants, mini-marts and other outlets at selected recreation centres on their days off from October 31, the Ministry of Manpower said in a statement.

Visits must be booked ahead via a smart-phone application with dormitory operators checking that workers have valid passes before being allowed to leave.

The relaxation of controls on the workers comes after more than two months of trials and with infection rates in the community and dormitories having stayed at low levels, the ministry said. Around 30,000 workers have already booked exit passes as part of the trials.

A boy visits a cemetery in Manila on October 28, 2020. Photo: Xinhua