Local and foreign workers can get Covid-19 test under Socso

Out of the 298,000 workers registered under the Social Security Organisation (Socso) Prihatin Screening Programme (PSP), a total of 44,500 have undergone Covid-19 screening as of May 5.

Human Resources Minister M Saravanan said the programme was being run by Socso-appointed service providers at 39 locations and 120 mobile units nationwide.

“The screening test involves two phases. One is the RT-PCR (Covid-19 Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction), which is carried out by taking samples from the mouth and nose by appointed service providers. The other is the RTK Antibody (Rapid Test Kit) test, where workers can go to Socso PSP panel clinics to have blood taken as sample.

“Applications for screenings can be made in groups or individually,” he said in a statement yesterday.

For group screening, Saravanan said the employer and service provider had to agree on the number of workers involved as well as on the date and location for the screening to be conducted.

He said employers also had to fill up employees' details before submitting the list to the service provider at least 24 hours before the screening date.

If workers choose to personally go to the clinics or appointed service providers’ laboratories, then they must first register on the Socso PSP portal by providing details of their employers’ code number as well as their own identity card number or Foreign Worker Social Security (KSPA) number.

“The test results are confidential and will only be known by the worker, the service provider and Socso. If the result is positive, the service provider will send a notification to the Health Ministry for further action,” he added.

The Socso PSP is a free Covid-19 screening programme for workers, including foreign workers, registered with Socso under the Employees’ Social Security Act 1969 for companies allowed to operate during the movement control order (MCO), subject to guidelines provided since April 27.

- Bernama