Office, building designs will have to change to lower risk of Covid-19 spread: Lawrence Wong

WITH Covid-19 transforming the way people live and work, Singapore's urban plans and building designs will need to change, and companies will have to find new, safer ways to deliver products and services, said Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong on Tuesday.

In recent months, the pandemic has prompted a shift towards flexible work arrangements, such as working from home, staggered work hours and split team arrangements. "Our urban plans will need to cater to these new demands," he said in his national broadcast entitled 'Living with Covid-19'.

"Office and building designs will also have to change, given what we now know about the risks of transmission in enclosed spaces." Ventilation and air filtering systems in buildings will thus need to be improved, while features such as contactless fittings, automatic doors, hand sanitiser and temperature monitoring stations should also become the norm, he said.

"Companies will have to find new and safer ways to deliver their products and services," Mr Wong said, adding that many companies are already making use of digital solutions. "Some will need to change their business practices to adapt to the new environment."

Meanwhile, the construction industry will have to implement new safeguards at worksites and continue its push for automation and productivity to curb its dependence on migrant workers, he said. Local and foreign workers in the construction sector will be tested regularly, and living arrangements for migrant workers will need to be improved, with new dormitories designed to better guard against infection risks.

"These are significant changes, which will mean extra costs for the construction industry. For now, the government is bearing these costs through the Fortitude Budget. Beyond that, we will introduce other measures to cushion the impact, and to move the industry to new productivity levels."

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In his speech, he also touched on Singapore's phased approach to re-open safely, adding that the government will continue to monitor the situation over the coming week. "If conditions remain stable, we will be able to move into Phase 2 before the end of the month," he said.

"We will then resume a broader range of activities, covering nearly the whole economy, and allow social interactions and family visits in small groups of not more than five people."

However, as more activities are resumed, increased human contact could lead to more new cases - as has been the case in other countries which have emerged from lockdown. The key is to keep community infection rates stable, Mr Wong said, adding that Singapore can continue with progressive easing if it is able to do so. "But if the number of cases rise sharply, we will have to slow down the opening up, and even tighten certain restrictions."

During the two-month-long circuit breaker, Singapore enhanced its capacity and speed of contact-tracing by expanding its contact-tracing teams; the SafeEntry check in- and -out system and TraceTogether app have also been used. The government is now working on developing wearable Bluetooth devices.

Meanwhile, Singapore has also boosted its testing capacity sharply by procuring more test kits, expanding lab capacity as well as recruiting and training more lab technicians to conduct swab tests.

In the coming months, Singapore is expected to be able to conduct 40,000 tests a day, up from around 13,000 a day presently and about 2,000 tests a day back in early April.

In the longer term, a vaccine is an important part of the solution, he went on to say. However, he added that it may take a long time for any vaccine to be ready and available for mass distribution. "If and when a vaccine becomes available, we will make sure that every Singaporean who needs it gets it, and at an affordable price."

Where travel is concerned, Singapore is carefully easing travel restrictions and re-opening its borders through green-lane arrangements with certain countries, starting with travel that is essential for work. "When conditions permit, we will extend 'green lanes' to more countries, and to non-business travellers," he added. However, he cautioned that it will take a while before Singapore opens up for mass-market travel.