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Current measures to protect taxi, private-hire drivers from Covid-19 sufficient: Amy Khor

2021-11-03 00:00:00.0 海峡时报-新加坡原网页

SINGAPORE - Current measures to protect taxi and private-hire drivers when ferrying possible Covid-19-positive patients are sufficient, and there is no need for drivers to put on full personal protective equipment, Senior Minister of State for Transport Amy Khor said in Parliament on Wednesday (Nov 3).

She was answering parliamentary questions posed by Ms Yeo Wan Ling (Pasir Ris-Punggol GRC) and Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang),who asked what measures are being taken to protect point-to-point drivers, in light of the new Covid-19 protocols which advise patients waiting for their polymerase chain reaction test results to return home via private transport; and if these vehicles are kept sanitised and safe.

Patients should inform their drivers about their health status, Dr Khor said.

Drivers have been advised to switch off the air-conditioner, wind down the windows during and after each trip, as well as clean their vehicles after the trips, she said.

Passengers should also sit in the back, in the seat diagonal from the driver's, she added.

"The Ministry of Health has assessed that these measures are sufficient to minimise the risk of in-vehicle transmission of the virus, and there is no need for extra precautionary measures such as having drivers put on full personal protective equipment," she added.

Furthermore, about 98 per cent of taxi drivers are fully vaccinated.

MOH has put this information up on its website in the FAQs on health protocols.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is also working with the taxi and private-hire operators and associations to publicise this message to the drivers as well as the passengers, to remind passengers to declare their health status so that drivers can take action, and also to remind the drivers of the additional precautions that they can take.

"We are also working with the operators to see if we can craft a message that can be printed out and the drivers can opt to display in their vehicles to remind the passengers. So this is what we are doing to give assurance to the drivers," Dr Khor added.

Support has also been given to drivers.

All the taxi operators provide rental waivers for the drivers who cannot drive due to contracting Covid-19 or having to self-isolate. Private-hire operators Grab and Gojek also provide prolonged medical leave insurance coverage for their drivers, and this involves financial payouts if the drivers are not able to drive because of these reasons.

In addition to that, drivers who contract Covid-19 as a result of providing services in a heightened Covid-19 situation, such as by ferrying an antigen rapid test-positive person for his PCR test, can apply for one-time relief of $3,000 through The Courage Fund that is administered by the National Council of Social Service.

The Courage Fund supports vulnerable individuals and groups such as patients, healthcare workers and members of the community affected by serious infectious diseases.