Marriages back to pre-Covid levels; smaller than expected fall in birth numbers: PM Lee

AFTER over 2 years of living with Covid-19, marriages in Singapore have "caught up" and returned to pre-pandemic levels, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a Facebook post on Sunday (Jan 30).

While the global health crisis had initially caused a dip in the number of weddings, many couples have since gone ahead with their plans amid ongoing social restrictions.

As at Jan 24, 483 couples have filed to register their marriages in Singapore on Feb 22 - a special date (22/2/22) that comes once in a lifetime. The actual number could be higher as couples have till Jan 31 to file a notice to marry on that date, as reported by The Straits Times.

About 73 couples have filed to register their marriages on Feb 14, which is Valentine's Day.

In 2020, the total number of marriages registered saw the biggest drop since 2000, down 10.9 per cent year on year to 22,651.

The Department of Statistics had attributed this to pandemic-induced disruptions, including circuit-breaker restrictions and safe management measures applied to wedding solemnisations and receptions from March 2020.

PM Lee observed that birth numbers have also fallen slightly in Covid times, but "not as much as we had feared".

"Covid-19 or not, parents and grandparents still greatly look forward to welcoming new arrivals," he said.

The Baby Support Grant, which provides parents some financial relief during the pandemic, is among government initiatives rolled out to support Singaporeans looking to start and raise families.

"I hope that marriage and birth numbers will come roaring back in the Year of the Tiger," said PM Lee.

Ahead of next week's Chinese New Year holiday, he urged those celebrating to continue to exercise social responsibility and take precautions.

"Large gatherings will have to wait a little longer, as the Omicron variant has forced us to maintain strict measures."

Getting vaccinated is another important way to keep families safe.

The government had kicked off the vaccination programme for children aged 5 to 11 late last December and response has been good, said PM Lee.

More than 100,000 children have received their first dose of the vaccine as at Jan 15.

"Vaccinations are safe and effective. They reduce your chances of contracting Covid-19 and, more importantly, greatly lower the risk of serious complications, including for the Omicron variant. This is true for everyone - not just young children and teenagers, but also and especially the frail and the elderly," said PM Lee.