SINGAPORE - Bus drivers and staff at Bishan bus interchange are worried about getting infected and spreading Covid-19 to their loved ones, said National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) assistant secretary-general Melvin Yong.

In a Facebook post on Friday (Sept 3), he said that some of them are also concerned about being quarantined and the disruption that it will bring to their daily routines, while others are coping with the constant changes to their work schedules.

One bus driver who had tested positive for the virus had even been told by his landlord to find other accommodation, Mr Yong said in a Facebook post on Friday (Sept 3).

"Thanks to the prompt action by our union leaders and the management, new accommodation has been arranged for the bus captain," he said.

Workers also shared their concerns about being quarantined and the disruption that it will bring to their daily routines, while others are coping with the constant changes to their work schedules, he added.

Mr Yong said that he visited the interchange on Friday afternoon amid a rise in the number of Covid-19 clusters at several interchanges. There were 29 cases linked to the Bishan interchange cluster as at Thursday.

He noted that many staff members are concerned about the colleagues who had been infected.

"So far, all infected bus captains have only mild or no symptoms. This can be attributed to the high vaccination rate of 95 per cent among our front-line bus workers," he said.

"The union is also monitoring the recovery process of all infected workers while concurrently working with their employers to ensure a smooth transition back to work upon their recovery."

Mr Yong also observed during his visit that a part of an outdoor concourse space had been thoughtfully converted into a designated staff dining area, with the necessary safe management measures in place.

The indoor staff rest area has also been equipped with enhanced ventilators.

All high-touch points in the interchange are cleaned and disinfected every hour to better protect bus workers and commuters, said Mr Yong.

Buses are also being cleaned and disinfected more regularly.

"I want to thank all our front-line sisters and brothers for working tirelessly on the ground during this period," he said.

"I hope commuters can continue to encourage our bus captains as they brave the challenges to bring us home and to our destinations safely."