Temporary housing for expat workers in Dammam

The temporary housing will host individuals who interacted with those infected with the virus, so that they can be isolated until their lab results come.

The Dammam 2nd Industrial City has established temporary housing for quarantining expatriate workers, in cooperation with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones (Modon), the Eastern Province municipality, the Eastern Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and the Ministry of Health.
The move is in line with the directives of Governor of the Eastern Province Prince Saud bin Naif, and within the extensive measures taken by the government to fight the coronavirus pandemic.
The acting director of marketing and corporate communication and Modon spokesperson Kosai Alabdulkarim said the temporary housing, which spans 10,000 square meters, will host individuals who interacted with those infected with the virus, so that they can be isolated until their lab results come.
“Workers suspected of being infected with coronavirus will be transferred to the temporary housing along with individuals who interacted with them, where they will be tested by the Ministry of Health. Once the test results come, positive cases will be isolated and quarantined in the designated hospital, while negative cases will be sent back to their homes,” he said.
He said Modon will provide water and sanitation services and the General Directorate of Civil Defense will ensure the safety of the facilities. A fire brigade team will be stationed at the site, which will be secured by the Eastern Province police.
The Dammam 2nd Industrial City features a residential area for factory workers comprising 202 residential buildings spanning 1 million square meters and accommodating approximately 25,000 workers.
At the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, Modon coordinated with its partners in the government, and the public and private sectors to implement preventative measures. It provided more than 400 security personnel to execute the procedures in all industrial cities.
Alabdulkarim said that Modon is committed to reducing the number of employees in production lines to a minimum so that workers in administrative offices do not exceed 40 percent.
He said that factory workers and employees have been urged not to leave their homes except when absolutely necessary, and that employees should carry identification cards that prove their employment in industrial cities and factories to avoid getting fined. The challenges arising from the imposed curfew are being communicated to relevant entities in the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
Alabdulkarim said factory workers are urged to follow the health practices and guidelines approved by the Ministry of Health. A total of 816 inspection tours have taken place in 22 industrial cities, with the participation of 70 inspectors.
Meanwhile, Modon is participating in relevant committees and coordinating its work with relevant government entities on a daily basis, including the Emergency and Crisis Committee in the Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources and the Emergency Committee in the Civil Defense.