Factory workers isolate at BOI zones
View(s):COVID-19 positive factory workers are being provided with intermediate care locations within the BOI zones to isolate.
“We are trying to set up an intermediate place within the zone for those contracting the COVID-19 virus and the first of these is at the Katunayaka FTZ,” BOI Manufacturers Association General Secretary Dhammika Fernando told the Business Times.
He noted that in this respect they have already established about 150 beds and now there are several persons there “but we need to equip it.”
Since COVID-19 positive patients are asked to stay at home until a bed is found for them, these workers find it hard to go back to where they are boarded since they are meted out with harsh treatment.
Once a factory worker becomes COVID-19 positive the zone they are in, is in the process of establishing isolation centres for them so they do not have to return to their boarding homes.
“Boarding house owners are treating the girls disgustingly when they contract COVID-19,” Mr. Fernando said adding that this is what led them to ensure that these workers have a place to stay.
Meanwhile, he noted that the factory workers are being given the Sinopharm vaccine only now despite repeated requests to prioritise these persons in the first phase of the vaccination programme itself. The first inoculation programme commenced in the Katunayaka BOI zone comprising 32, 000 factory workers from 86 factories, Mr. Fernando said. He pointed out that that health authorities were also due to carry out the vaccination programme on factory workers in the zones of Mirigama with 10,000 workers; Wathupitiwala with about 20,000 and over 30,000 from Biyagama.
With a slight escalation in the number of COVID-19 positive patients from about 1800 in a factory about 40 cases had been detected, Mr. Fernando said.
In addition while some workers are to be provided company transport to arrive at their places of work despite the ongoing restrictions, others who are interested in coming to work on their own will be allowed to travel using a valid BOI pass.
There had been a halt in the Antigen testing carried out at the factories but this has now been resumed, Mr. Fernando said. (SD)