85% of Covid-19 testing, vaccination centre staff on short-term contracts

Some workers will be redeployed to new roles or facilities as MOH steps down operations

- Timothy Goh

About 85 per cent of workers supporting operations in Covid-19 testing and vaccination centres are on short-term contracts, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said.

Replying to queries from The Sunday Times, MOH said last Friday that there are currently 3,700 staff supporting such operations.

MOH said it would gradually be stepping down operations in the testing and vaccination centres.

It added: “Over the next few months, some of these staff will be redeployed to new facilities such as the joint testing and vaccination centres, or to new roles within MOH. Others will be able to return to other sectors as the economy continues to recover.”

The ministry also thanked all staff for their hard work over the past two years.

Its announcement followed that by the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) on April 24 that the number of safe distancing ambassadors (SDAs) deployed would be reduced.

At the time, MSE said about 2,000 SDAs were employed by various government agencies, and that employment assistance would be provided to those who needed it.