Govt announces 2,000 more tests for employees

The government announced on Friday that it will be shouldering the cost of an additional 2,000 coronavirus tests for nursing home staff and employees working in the supply chain of food and beverage businesses.

The tests will target workers in the supply chains of bakeries, supermarkets, fruit and vegetable stores, butcheries, fish markets, and mini markets, who weren’t included in the government’s plan to test 20,000 employees still coming into contact with the public.

The initiative will target small to medium-sized enterprises employing up to 15 workers in supply chain positions.

Some 400 tests (20 per cent of the 2,000 tests) will focus on workers at nursing homes.

Businesses and nursing home management will need to contact labs cooperating with the government in order to set up appointments for their employees to be tested, while the government said it asked labs to give these appointments priority.

The round of tests will be launched immediately, and is expected to be completed by the end of the month.