Get workers tested for Covid-19 under Socso’s free plan, says minister

Workers can be tested for Covid-19 infections under Socso’s free Prihatin programme.

PUTRAJAYA: All employers, especially those operating in red and yellow zones of Covid-19 infections, were urged today to ensure their workers undergo screening for the disease under a free Socso programme.

Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said those economic sectors which will be allowed to resume operations from tomorrow are subject to stringent conditions and procedures under the conditional movement control order.

He said the Covid-19 tests for workers are provided free of charge under the Social Security Organisation’s Prihatin screening programme.

“It will guarantee that the employees are working in a safe and healthy working environment free of Covid-19,” he said in a statement here today.

Saravanan said with the preventive measures adopted by employers and workers, the country will be able to prevent a new wave of Covid-19 infections, which may arise from workplace clusters, as experienced in other countries.

“The ministry agreed on the need to resume business operations. At the same time, the business sector must give priority to preventing the spread of Covid-19 especially among workers,” he said.

He said measures to prevent infections, such as social distancing while commuting to and from work as well as at the workplace; body temperature checks; use of face masks; frequent hand-washing and avoiding crowded places should be emphasised by employers and obeyed by all workers.

He said everyone had to work together to break the chain of infections and prevent new outbreaks. - FMT