What kind of work goes into ensuring that the COVID-19 quarantine zones are kept in line?

I think that when we go down we are very happy to see that we’re not the only ones there. Ministry of Manpower has also sent people in, the Singapore Armed Forces have got people in, so there’s actually a good team that’s been set up. And we work well (together). Q&M works well with these two agencies and we’re able to execute our job, (do) what’s needed, and at the same time maintain the integrity of the infected area so that we don’t bring things in or take anything out. So I think that’s helped a lot, the fact that we have a multi-agency group working on this.

Firstly, what’s important is actually, we want to test the foreign workers but at the same time, we have to ensure our own protection. So the number one thing we have to be aware (of), (is that) we cannot take it lightly. We cannot take it that “Oh, it’s okay it’s not going to happen to us”. There’s been testing (of) samples, random sampling of cases but in fact these random sampling of cases, there are positive cases. So number one we need to have a very good attitude, we have to have a very strong belief that we have to do this right, we have to do this properly for the good of ourselves and for families. If not our families -- actually, most of our families are actually worried that we’re all doing this. They all say “why must we do this”, you know? So we have to reassure our family, reassure our spouses, and our parents that Q&M has provided the right protection, the right gear for us to go in, and we look out for each other. That’s what’s important.

On the ground, there is a FAST (Forward Assurance Support Teams) team waiting for us which has already set up the area for us and they cooperate with the dorm managers. And sometimes the small teams that we go out in can be all female, but at no point do we feel intimidated. We feel like we’re welcome, and the foreign workers are aware of the need for the swab.