Ready for the Post-Pandemic World?

The migrant worker dormitory clusters, although certainly a serious matter, might seem like just a blemish in an otherwise stellar record of successful crisis management by a high-capacity government responsible for developing Singapore from a "Third World” to a "First World” country in a very short period. Made up of very capable technocrats with a pragmatic outlook, this government focused on results, were quick to react to problems as they surfaced, and never took its eye away from the unsentimental task of keeping its globally embedded economy going as a vital part of national survival. Some might argue, further, that the authorities and countless other people in Singapore who volunteered their support did the best they could, in the context of an unprecedented and unpredictable pandemic of this scale and magnitude. However, the dormitory clusters and other lapses are symptoms of deeper structural problems. This is an important perspective that can constructively provide insight into whether these kinds of problems will manifest again and again in occasional eruptions and disruptions, which are painful but manageable. Or whether they will lead to more systemically destructive outcomes over time, which will either ruin Singapore eventually or create the opportunity to rebuild something better. Given Singapore's track record of swift and effective reaction to problems, one can expect economic rejuvenation at some point, accompanied by social and cultural exuberance. But will this mean returning to business-asusual? And will the deep structures shaped by authoritarian politics and market fundamentalism continue to worsen income inequality, poverty, an over-dependency on exploited migrant workers, the neglect of heterotopic spaces of otherness, and a dogmatic refusal by the government to engage more widely and in good faith with a broader range of people and perspectives outside its circle? © The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd. 2022.

Use of Bluetooth contact tracing technology to model COVID-19 quarantine policies in high-risk closed populations.

Containment measures in high-risk closed settings, like migrant worker (MW) dormitories, are critical for mitigating emerging infectious disease outbreaks and protecting potentially vulnerable populations in outbreaks such as coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The direct impact of social distancing measures can be assessed through wearable contact tracing devices. Here, we developed an individual-based model using data collected through a Bluetooth wearable device that collected 33.6M and 52.8M contact events in two dormitories in Singapore, one apartment style and the other a barrack style, to assess the impact of measures to reduce the social contact of cases and their contacts. The simulation of highly detailed contact networks accounts for different infrastructural levels, including room, floor, block, and dormitory, and intensity in terms of being regular or transient. Via a branching process model, we then simulated outbreaks that matched the prevalence during the COVID-19 outbreak in the two dormitories and explored alternative scenarios for control. We found that strict isolation of all cases and quarantine of all contacts would lead to very low prevalence but that quarantining only regular contacts would lead to only marginally higher prevalence but substantially fewer total man-hours lost in quarantine. Reducing the density of contacts by 30% through the construction of additional dormitories was modelled to reduce the prevalence by 14 and 9% under smaller and larger outbreaks, respectively. Wearable contact tracing devices may be used not just for contact tracing efforts but also to inform alternative containment measures in high-risk closed settings.

The Implications of Covid-19 on Health Economics - an Overview

Purpose- This paper is an analysis of the current COVID-19 scenario and its inevitable effect on the economies around the world. The aim of this study is to provide an overview and the implications of a pandemic to the health economics of any country irrespective of being developed or otherwise developing. Design/Methodology/Approach-For the same, data has been collected through secondary sources likes articles, reports including online and offline data sources. The implications of the pandemic under political and economic repercussions, and its implications to the policy makers in the immediate future were studied and complied for the current study. Findings- The study has brought forward a long-term assessments and speculations of the effects of the on going pandemic.Copyright © 2020 Ubiquity Press. All rights reserved.

A Study on the Effect of Medical Service Quality on Customer Satisfaction during COVID-19 for Foreigners in Korea

With the increasing number of foreigners residing in Korea, there is a need for further research on medical service satisfaction for this demographic. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the impact of medical service quality on customer satisfaction and revisit intention of foreigners in Korea during the COVID-19 pandemic. An online survey was conducted from 15 March to 15 May 2022 to gather data from foreign residents in Korea. A total of 201 questionnaires were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 and Smart PLS3.0 for empirical analysis. The results of the study demonstrate that reliability, empathy, and COVID-19 regulations (excluding responsiveness, assurance, and tangibles) positively impact customer satisfaction with medical services. Additionally, customer satisfaction with medical services positively affects revisit intention. Furthermore, variables, such as nationality and medical department, show average differences. These findings suggest that hospitals should focus on COVID-19 prevention and the quality of medical services, while also taking into account unique characteristics, such as nationality and medical department. This study provides essential reference data for medical institutions exposed to infinite competition, informing management strategies to increase customer satisfaction and revisit intention during COVID-19. © 2023 by the authors.

A qualitative perspective of construction site migrant workers' plight during COVID-19 lockdown in Bhavnagar (western India)

Introduction: Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic. Nationwide lockdown was one of the preventive measures enforced, that led to travel and work restrictions internationally and domestically. India has a large population of migrant workers. A large proportion of this population was stranded on foreign lands due to the sudden and mismanaged lockdown imposed during early 2020. Objective(s): To identify the impact of the lockdown on the economical, psychological and social life of migrant workers in Bhavnagar city (western India). Material(s) and Method(s): In-depth interviews (IDIs) were conducted among twelve construction-site migrant workers in Bhavnagar city of western India. Data saturation was attained after ten interviews. Additional two interviews were taken to confirm the saturation. All interviews were audio-recorded after obtaining written informed consent, transcribed in English, and analysed in the form of codes and categories. Result(s): The migrant workers in our setting perceived unemployment, monetary problems, and difficult subsistence as the pertinent economic issues. Mismanaged migrant exodus, discrimination, mistreatment, lack of social assistance, inability to fulfil their family's expectations and callousness of the authority were perceived as the social concerns. The psychological impact was described by various words like 'fear', 'worry', 'loneliness', 'boredom', 'helplessness', and feeling 'trapped'. Monetary compensation, job opportunities at the native place, and a well-managed migrant exodus were the key expectations from the government. Good employer support, help from government agencies, and a positive attitude during the lockdown period were perceived as the enablers. Lack of facilities to address common ailments, substandard care, and frequent COVID-19 tests before their travel were reported as healthcare issues during the lockdown. Conclusion(s): COVID-19 lockdown had detrimental effects on the economic, social, and psychological well-being of migrant workers. During such testing times, a few good Samaritans and employers, rather than the government, played the role of being the messiah. Adequate rehabilitation mechanisms should be in place before imposing a lockdown. 'Targeted' cash transfers, ration kits, and a well-managed migrant exodus might mitigate the plight of migrant workers in any such future lockdowns. Future studies can evaluate the feasibility, impact, and cost-effectiveness of such interventions on the lives of migrant workers.

PURITY AND DANGER IN SPANISH AGRICULTURE: FARM WORKERS DURING THE PANDEMIC

The aim of this paper is to carry out a sociological analysis of the implications of what could be referred to as the paradox of farm labourers during the pandemic. That is, their designation as essential workers turned them simultaneously into high-risk workers and a source of public alarm. Based on the analysis of the logics of purity and danger of Mary Douglas (1991), this article analyses how some of the public health strategies developed by the institutions during the pandemic contributed to reinforcing the invisibility and vulnerability of migrant workers. The article shows how, being placed in the realm of the impure and dangerous, foreign agricultural workers were not able to receive the health care they required, and their living spaces thus became environments conducive to the spread of the virus. Through an exploration of secondary sources, a review of pertinent documents and in-depth interviews with key informants, this article firstly offers a description of the institutional process by which foreign agricultural workers in the Region of Murcia were converted into essential workers facilitated the spread of infections. Secondly, it explores the link between the precariousness of the working and living conditions of farm labourers and the absence of the ethics of self-care, which was at the heart of the chain of Covid-19 infections suffered by this population. Finally, it focuses on institutional responses to the threat posed by the threat posed by increased infections among immigrant farm workers. Copyright ©2022 CSIC.

AGRICULTURAL EXCEPTIONALITY, MIGRANT FARMWORKERS AND THE PANDEMIC - EVIDENCE FROM POLAND AS A NEW IMMIGRANT DESTINATION COUNTRY

This paper, based on ethnographic fieldwork the authors conducted among seasonal migrant farmworkers in Poland, discusses the impact of the COVID-19 fast track solutions adopted in the sector on the general situation of migrant farmworkers in agriculture. Based on the evidence from the field as well as policy analysis conducted in recent months, we argue that the fast track solutions and exemptions adopted in Poland (as in many of the EU member states) during the pandemic of 2020-2021 are not unique, but manifest the long-standing policy of agricultural exceptionalism. This has practical implications on the health and safety of migrant farmworkers and, paradoxically, may translate into a worsening of their working and living conditions on the farms. Against this backdrop we want to shed light on the predicaments of farmworkers during the pandemic, to better understand their position, which results from intersecting factors increasing the vulnerabilities of farmworkers (temporalities, isolation, low unionisation, intensification of work). To better understand the impact of the special solutions on the phenomenon of seasonal work, it is necessary to take into account the perspective of the employers. Together, these observations allow us to paint a more comprehensive picture of the situation of farmworkers during the pandemic in Poland - a new immigrant destination country. Copyright © 2022 CSIC.

OCCUCON 2022 Abstracts

The proceedings contain 40 papers. The topics discussed include: respiratory hypersensitivity profiling among farmers with pesticide exposure: field- based, cross-sectional study;requirements of prescription safety eye wear;Covid-19 and comorbidities: deleterious impact on infected patients;knowledge regarding heat stress and practice of personal protective equipment use among healthcare workers during the Covid 19 pandemic;arrhythmia burden in Covid-19 patients from industrial workforce evaluated by remote patient monitoring technology;a qualitative perspective of construction site migrant workers' plight during covid-19 lockdown in Bhavnagar (Western India);elimination of volatile organic compound VOCs exposure at chemical testing laboratory: through effective OHIH assessment;and perceived morbidity, its risks and catastrophic health expenditure among construction workers: a cross sectional observation from Ahmedabad.

Humanitarian management strategy for interstate movement of migrant workers in India during COVID-19 pandemic: an optimization based approach.

India faced a unique situation during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when millions of migrant workers, in different states had to be transported to their home states as workplaces shut down. The governments in respective states faced challenges of minimizing economic impact while ensuring that the risk of infection was also kept under control. This paper develops models based on various secondary data from governmental and relevant non-governmental sources, trying to minimize the economic impact while keeping the rate of infection low and determining whether the migrant workforce should be allowed to stay in their workplace state or allowed to return to their home state. We found that the number of days of lockdown had a significant impact on the results. Fewer days of lockdown resulted in workers remaining in their work state as the preferred outcome, while a higher number of days of lockdown implied that people traveled to their home state and remain there. The proportion of workers who were willing to return to their work state played an important role on the results too. Beyond the threshold percentages of migrant workers returning to their work state, it became optimal for the government to encourage the workers to travel to their home state. However, this was mostly visible for moderate number of lockdown days as the effects on results were dominated by the impact from the number of lockdown days for too high or too low number of lockdown days. There is also an important trade-off between the budget and infection rate 'R' for the governments to consider. Minimizing the risk of infection requires an additional budget.

The Impacts of COVID-19 on Returned Migrants' Livelihood Vulnerability in the Central Coastal Region of Vietnam

This study investigated the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on livelihoods of households with migration workers, who returned home to the central coastal region during the peak disease outbreak in Vietnam. Five hundred and twenty-nine households with returned migration workers aged eighteen and above in the coastal areas of Quảng Bình, Quảng Trị, and Thừa Thiên Huế provinces participated in this study. Results showed that the livelihoods of all studied households were highly vulnerable due to impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, with almost 90% at moderate or high risk according to the vulnerability index. All livelihood assets were negatively affected, and financial, psychological, and social assets were the most affected, with Common Vulnerability Score System scores of 3.65, 3.39, and 3.17, respectively. Male, younger workers, or those with a lower education level and fewer social networks were found to be more vulnerable than others. This study suggests that young laborers could aim to attain a higher level of education and/or practical skills to be able to obtain stable employment with benefits such as social insurance if they desire to out-migrate. Further, social programs which allow for migration workers at the destination to meet each other may have positive impacts on their vulnerability. © 2022 by the authors.

Covid and US Farm Labor

Many governments closed their borders in spring 2020 to prevent the spread of Covid, but they also made exceptions to allow farm employers to recruit temporary foreign workers to fill seasonal farm jobs. The pandemic changed many parameters of food systems. Closed restaurants led to widespread layoffs in leisure and hospitality, rates of Covid were high among nonfarm food processing and meatpacking workers, and there was less Covid than expected among the foreign workers who increased their share of employment in production agriculture. The pandemic accelerated three major changes that were already underway, viz., more labor-saving mechanization, more foreign workers, and increased imports of labor-intensive commodities. Mechanization increases the resilience of production agriculture to labor supply shocks. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Resilience and Sustainability in the Gulf Migration Regimes: Kafāla in the Era of Covid-19

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has strongly reaffirmed the critical importance of labor migration to the global economy, even as it has raised questions about the temporary migration programs responsible for much of this migration. In the Arab Gulf states–home to some of the world's highest proportions of migrants–the pandemic has highlighted critical structural weaknesses in the region's kafāla migration regimes. Drawing on two nationally representative surveys of Qatar's citizens and migrants conducted between October 2020 and June 2021, we argue that the Gulf's temporary migration regimes have shown resilience during the pandemic regarding flexibility, networks, and policies. However, Gulf states have gained this resilience at the expense of migrant workers, which threatens the sustainability of the kafāla in its current form. Nevertheless, we also identify key reforms undertaken in Qatar, which continued during the pandemic, and we find general acceptance of these reforms by citizens and business owners. Additionally, we find that Covid-19 has promoted recognition of the importance of migrant workers in the national labor supply, even if significant steps are still required to reduce migrant vulnerability. © 2023 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.

Hostel frictions: backpackers living under lockdown

This article focuses on the ‘frictions' felt by international backpackers who have been stuck and locked-down while they were living and working in regional Australian hostels. Backpackers play a central role as both tourists and migrant workers in Australia, where they undertake significant periods of required farm work in order to extend their visas. They are a highly visible and long-standing mobile population in Australia and are relatively under-studied given their significance to tourism cultures and economies. Based on forty semi-structured interviews with backpackers living and working in Bundaberg, Australia, we explore how experiences of immobilities prior to and during the pandemic restrictions manifest as experiences of escalating and alleviating frictions. Friction is understood as an embodied and relational feeling of tension produced by a shortage of space. Friction has always been a feature of hostel living but prolonged lockdowns and inconsistent health messaging escalated frictions into open conflict. We propose that the concept of friction sits between mobilities and immobilities, and that particular mobility contexts exacerbate such frictions. The article contributes to ongoing discussions on pandemic immobilities and the interwoven concerns of tourism, migration, and labour mobilities. © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.

Impact of Migration During Pendmic

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the impact of migration during the Covid-19 pandemic. Migration has been affected by the pandemic in various ways. For instance, the mobility restrictions imposed by governments have led to a decrease in both legal and irregular migration, and this has caused economic hardship for those who rely on remittances from family members abroad. Furthermore, the pandemic has created a new set of challenges for migrant workers, such as increased exposure to health risks and exploitation. The paper will also discuss the potential opportunities for migrants that have arisen due to the pandemic, such as the need for skilled labour in certain sectors and the development of digital technologies to facilitate remote work. Finally, the paper will examine some of the initiatives that have been taken to address the challenges faced by migrants, such as the establishment of temporary residence permits and the provision of financial aid. The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of migration during the pandemic. We will examine how the pandemic has affected migration, both human and economic, and what strategies have been used to reduce its negative impacts. We will also discuss the implications of migration for both developed and developing countries, and how it has impacted the global economy. Finally, we will explore the potential for future migration and the implications for global governance. Copyright © 2022, Anka Publishers. All rights reserved.

Continued demographic shifts in hospitalised COVID-19 patients from migrant workers to a vulnerable and more elderly local population at risk of severe disease

Background. In the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the vast majority of infected persons were migrant workers living in dormitories who were young and with few medical co-morbidities. In 2021, this shifted to the more vulnerable and elderly population within the local community. We examined trends amongst the hospitalised cases, in order to demonstrate changes in disease severity in association with the evolving demographics. Demographic shifts in hospitalised patients with COVID-19. Proportion of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 requiring intensive care over time in Singapore Methods. All patients with PCR-positive SARS-CoV-2 admitted from February 2020 to October 2021 were included, and subsequently stratified by their year of admission (2020 or 2021). Demographics were also classified by sex, ethnicity, as well as mode of transmission, namely i) imported cases, ii) locally-transmitted cases outside of migrant worker dormitories, and iii) migrant worker dormitory cases. We compared the baseline clinical characteristics, clinical presentation and outcomes. Results. A majority of cases were seen in 2020 (n=1359), compared with 2021 (n=422), due to the large outbreaks in migrant worker dormitories. Nevertheless, the greater proportion of locally-transmitted cases outside of dormitories in 2021 (78.7% vs 12.3%) compared with 2020 meant a significantly older population with more medical co-morbidities were exposed to COVID-19. This led to an observably higher proportion of patients with severe disease, presenting with raised inflammatory markers, need for therapeutics, supplemental oxygenation and higher mortality. Baseline characteristics of hospitalised patients with COVID-19 in Singapore over time. Conclusion. Changing demographics and the characteristics of the exposed populations are associated with distinct differences in clinical presentation and outcomes. Understanding demographic shifts may be crucial in appropriate allocation of healthcare resources in managing hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Health literacy and health care experiences of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Migrant workers are among the most vulnerable populations in society. This study explored the health-literacy experiences of migrant workers in South Korea and how the workers'daily lives have been affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. METHODS: We conducted a series of semi-structured individual and focus-group interviews with 23 migrant workers (eight Cambodians, six Nepalese, four Sri Lankans, three Bangladeshis, and two Pakistanis) residing in the Daegu and Busan metropolitan areas of South Korea. All interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed verbatim. The data were analyzed using content analysis. RESULTS: Migrant workers had difficulty accessing and using health care services due, in large part, to linguistic barriers and a lack of an adequate support system. Four main themes were identified: difficulty understanding and using medical services, obtaining necessary health and safety information, the impact of COVID-19, and protecting oneself from becoming infected with COVID-19. Most workers depended on information from social networking services (SNS) and co-workers. CONCLUSIONS: Migrant workers' difficulty with health care access was exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. The findings suggest the necessity of enhancing migrant workers' health literacy, along with the use of SNS as a viable pathway for sharing health information and resources.

Exploring low-income migrant workers' health information-seeking behavior during COVID-19 in Taiwan: A qualitative study.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic is reported to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities of marginalized groups, and the lack of self-care can lead to the spread of the virus across society. Therefore, effective responses to the challenges imposed by the health crisis should consider the health information needs of migrant workers. Objective: We aimed to explore how migrant low-income workers seek health information and how their health-related information needs were met during a health crisis. We also investigated migrant workers' preferred information sources and types of content with the theoretical concept of health literacy to understand the development of health competencies among migrant workers. Methods: We conducted semi-structured interviews with Thai low-income migrant workers. A total of 13 Thai migrant workers participated in the study, among whom five were undocumented. The interviews were audio-taped, transcribed, and analyzed with the thematic analysis approach. Results: Our findings indicated that migrant workers' health literacy and health information behavior could be improved through technology when facing a health crisis. We found that participants sought health information proactively to reduce their perceived risks. However, there is still space for design to support the ability to process jargon information and apply local policy, such as providing easy-to-understand, accurate, and timely information. The findings of this study provide some insights for the authority and technological design to respond to migrant workers' health information needs. Conclusions: This study acknowledges and understands the needs of vulnerable migrant workers in society. The findings of this study provide insights for the authority and technological design to respond to migrant workers' health information needs. We also outline the areas worth further investigation, such as the communication between information seekers and providers, and the navigation of the healthcare system for migrants in the host country.

Risk Communication Distributed among Migrant Workers during the COVID-19 Crisis in Thailand: Analysis on Structural and Networking Gaps.

Language and cultural barriers among migrant workers hamper access to health risk information. This study aims to explore health risk communication structure and processes and identify the communication network of migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic in Thailand. This study used a parallel mixed-methods design combined with in-depth interviews and questionnaires for social network analysis from November 2020 to June 2021 in the headquarter district of Samut Sakhon, Ranong, and Phuket provinces. We conducted purposive sampling of representatives from public and non-public organisations and local communities. Thirty-six key informants participated in in-depth interviews, and fifty-six respondents completed the questionnaire for social network analysis. Although health risk communication included various activities, there was no formal governing body responsible for health risk communication among migrants, and monitoring and evaluation of communication process were not well-implemented. The health risk communication network was centralised, especially in the rural area; however, migrant health volunteers (MHVs) and local media were key sources of information for most migrants in communities. Overall, a governing body led by the government with intersectional collaboration and a health risk communication process should be promoted while considering migrants' characteristics and concerns. The health risk communication network should identify key communicators such as MHVs and local media. This can be an effective strategy to fill the gap of information dependency.

COVID-19 Vaccine Acceptance and Its Determinants among Myanmar Migrant Workers in Southern Thailand.

Success in eradicating COVID-19 will rely on the rate of vaccination adoption worldwide. Vaccine acceptance among vulnerable groups is critical for preventing the spread of COVID-19 and decreasing unnecessary deaths. The purpose of this study was to report on the willingness to obtain COVID-19 immunization and the factors related to its acceptance among Myanmar migrant workers in southern Thailand. This cross-sectional study consisted of 301 samples collected between October and November 2021 and analyzed using multiple logistic regression. Thirty-nine percent of workers intended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine within a year. The following factors were associated with obtaining the COVID-19 vaccine: a high level of perception of COVID-19 (AOR = 5.43), income less than or equal to 10,000 baht/month (AOR = 6.98), financial status at a sufficient level (AOR = 7.79), wearing a face mask in the previous month almost all the time (AOR =4.26), maintaining 1-2 m of distance from anyone in the last month (AOR =2.51), and measuring temperature in the previous month (AOR = 5.24). High reluctance to accept the COVID-19 vaccine among Myanmar migrant workers can influence efforts to eliminate COVID-19. Collaboration with all stakeholders is critical to helping Myanmar workers understand COVID-19, social measures, and preventive beliefs to increase vaccine uptake.

Acculturation, Work-Related Stressors, and Respective Coping Strategies among Male Indonesian Migrant Workers in the Manufacturing Industry in Taiwan: A Post-COVID Investigation.

Globalization has prompted cross-cultural migration in search of employment opportunities, and poor adaptation during acculturation is widely known to cause additional psychosocial stress. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate migrant workers' perceptions of acculturation, identify work-related stressors, and understand the respective coping strategies among male Indonesians in the manufacturing industry, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Fifteen workers were recruited and interviewed on their acculturation experiences. We found that the workers were susceptible to forced adaptation to stressful conditions relating to work organization, economic distress, interaction with the manpower agencies, language barriers, and so on. During the pandemic, workers experienced overload, economic hardship, suspended home visits, isolation, discrimination, and fear of cluster infection in the crowded dormitory. We also found that workers were able to adopt coping strategies by capitalizing on resources at the individual, institutional, and governmental policy levels to actively solve problems, increase emotional support, and fortify self-appraisals. The identified coping strategies could inform policy development to assist with positive adaptation and promote the well-being of the migrant worker population.