Covid-19 workplace closures 'not about business closure', many still able to operate: Chan Chun Sing

WORKERS in essential services and industries critical to global supply chains - including the manufacturing of semiconductors, biopharmaceuticals, and petrochemicals - may continue going to work, even as Singapore puts in place stricter measures from April 7 till May 4 as a month-long "circuit breaker" amid the Covid-19 outbreak, said Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing on Friday.

Of the stricter moves, including the closing of most other workplaces, he said: "This is not about business closure. This is about closing the premises for the duration in order for us to adopt the enhanced safe-distancing measures. Many businesses will still be able to operate."

The measures are aimed at minimising transmission at the workplaces, and significantly reducing the need to commute, he said.

He was speaking in a press conference following Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong's announcement of the moves on live television and radio. Additional measures will be announced next week to provide support for businesses and households.

Mr Chan listed the essential services which will continue to operate. They are: healthcare and social services; food-related services; energy; water and waste management, and environmental services; transportation, storage, and logistics services; information and communications services; security operations; facilities management and critical public infrastructure; banking and financial services; as well as some "manufacturing activities that are essential to our security, sustenance and safety".

He emphasised that all supermarkets, wet markets, hawker centres and food establishments will remain open. But dining in will no longer be allowed; instead, takeaway and food delivery services will continue.

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Some other services which do not fall under "essential services" will also be allowed to operate with core essential staff. These include hardware stores for repairs, pet-supplies stores and vehicle-recovery operations.

Also able to operate are businesses critical to global supply chains, including those in manufacturing of semiconductor, biopharmaceuticals and petrochemicals, as well as firms in their associated supply chains.

Sectors that need some time to wind down operations, such as construction, will have "a short grace period" to do so. Businesses with operations that can be done from home, of course, will also be able to keep going.

More information can be found here. Government agencies will proactively inform firms that provide essential services, if they have not already been contacted. Other companies can call the government hotline 6898 1800 for clarification between 8pm and midnight on Friday, and from 8am on Saturday.

"The key advice for Singaporeans is to stay home. Go out only for essential services, and if you need to go out, avoid close contact with crowds or people," said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong, who co-chairs the multi-ministry taskforce on Covid-19.

Noting that it has been a week since the last slew of safe-distancing measures were put in place, taskforce co-chair and Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong said the original thought was to take some time to see if those measures had an effect in slowing down the virus spread.

"But we looked at the situation on a daily basis and decided that we couldn't afford to wait any further because there are very worrying trends," he said. In particular, the number of unlinked local cases has continued to rise, suggesting a high likelihood of undetected, hidden cases in the community.

As of noon on Friday, there were 65 new cases in Singapore, taking the total number of cases to 1,114, of which 473 are in hospitals. The new cases include nine imported, 39 linked, and 17 that are currently unlinked.

Mr Wong noted that each time the government has made incremental moves, most Singaporeans have been responsible "but there will always be a group that tries to push the rules to their limits".

These include people who insist on eating at crowded places instead of getting takeaway food, as well as employers who do not implement telecommuting even when employees' work allows for it. "All of these behaviours and habits are really counter-productive," he said.

From April 7, all attractions, theme parks, museums and casinos will be closed, along with sports and recreation facilities. There will also be restrictions on the movement and gathering of people. People should stay home as far as possible, avoid socialising beyond their own household, and leave the house only to do essential activities.

From April 8, all schools and Institutes of Higher Learning will move to full home-based learning. All pre-schools, Ministry of Education kindergartens and student care centres will be closed, but will provide limited services for children of parents who must keep working and cannot make alternative care arrangements.

Read more: Most workplaces must shut from next Tuesday: PM Lee