Singapore announced on Tuesday tighter curbs on social gatherings and stricter border measures to contain the spread of coronavirus.
The stricter measures, which will be effective from May 8, include extending checks on where incoming travellers have been to three weeks earlier, instead of two weeks currently.
Fr 8 May – 30 May, we will also further tighten safe management measures for social gathering and work place measures. The implementation of TT-only SE will be brought forward to 17 May. https://t.co/dhNLvCahBQ
— Ministry of Health (@sporeMOH) May 4, 2021
Here are the new restrictions:
- All visitors with a recent travel history in higher risk countries and who arrive from Saturday onwards will also need to be in quarantine for 21 days
- Social gathering will also be limited to five people, while indoor gyms and fitness studios will be shut.
- Employers must ensure that no more than 50 per cent of employees who can work from home return to the workplace at any time, down from the current 75 per cent.
- Employers should continue to stagger start times of employees who need to return to the workplace, and implement flexible working hours.
Reduction of event sizes
a. Congregational and other worship services:
Pre-event testing will be required if there are more than 100 attendees at any one time, and such congregations must be capped at 250 attendees. Congregational singing will be suspended in religious services.
b. Weddings:
Marriage solemnisations may proceed with up to 250 attendees in total, in zones of up to 50 attendees. Pre-event testing will be required for the wedding couple for solemnisations involving more than 50 attendees.
Similarly, wedding receptions may proceed with up to 250 attendees in total, in zones or time slots of up to 50 attendees each.
Pre-event testing for all attendees, including the wedding couple, will be required for wedding receptions involving more than 50 attendees.
c. Funerals:
Attendees on the day of the burial or cremation will be limited to no more than 30 people, down from the current 50 people. The cap for other days of the wake remains at 30 attendees at any one time.
As pre-event testing is not required, attendees are reminded to maintain safe distancing and keep masks on at all times to reduce the risk of spread.
d. Sports events:
All mass-participation sports events will be suspended and no spectators will be allowed.
e. Live performances, cinemas: The maximum number of attendees allowed at live performances and pilot business-to-business events will be reduced from 750 to 250.
Pre-event testing will be required for all attendees of these events if there are more than 100 attendees. Similarly, cinema attendances will be reduced to 100 attendees, with the potential to increase to 250 attendees with the additional requirement of pre-event testing.
f. Museums and Public Libraries: Operating capacity will be reduced from 65% to 50%.
g. Attractions and shows: All attractions that have received MTI’s prior approval will be permitted to operate at 50% operating capacity, a reduction from 65%. The maximum number of attendees allowed at the indoor and outdoor shows at these attractions will be reduced to 100. Pre-event testing is not required.
h. Tours. The maximum tour size offered by tour operators and tourist guides will be reduced from 50 attendees to 20 attendees.
Trace Together
The implementation of TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be brought forward to May 17 from the previously announced June 1.
SafeEntry Gateway
SafeEntry Gateway will be required to be deployed at more high-visitorship venues from June 15.