Singapore faces 'roadblock' along endemic roadmap, reintroduces restrictions as cases surge

A SURGE in Covid-19 cases across Singapore's main fishery port as well as various wet markets and hawker centres has led the Singapore government to significantly tighten restrictions, citing concerns that the current wave of infection affects a wide spectrum of the population, including unvaccinated seniors.

For one month from July 22, social gatherings will be further scaled down to a cap of two people, whereas dining-in for all food and beverage establishments will be prohibited.

Under this reversion to restrictions under Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), individual households can only receive up to two distinct visitors per day. Grandchildren being cared for daily by their grandparents will not be counted towards this cap.

Indoor activities that require masks to be removed, including strenuous exercises and group sports, as well as facials and saunas, will also be suspended. Outdoor mask-off activities are allowed for groups of up to two people, while indoor and outdoor mask-on classes of up to 30 people are allowed, in groups of two.

While acknowledging the frustration among businesses with what appears to be a seesawing of safety measures, Singapore's multi-ministry taskforce for Covid-19 urged the populace to hunker down as the vaccination campaign continues.

"It is most unsettling for the affected industries and the establishments. But we are so close, weeks away to a stage where we (will) have two-thirds, or more, of our population vaccinated around National Day, and then be able to much more decisively transit to a Covid-resilient posture," said Health Minister and taskforce co-chair Ong Ye Kung on Tuesday.

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"It is really not the time to risk it all," he said.

A support package will be provided to affected businesses and workers, and the Ministry of Finance will announce details in coming days. During the previous iteration of Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from mid-May to mid-June, an S$800 million support package was rolled out for those affected, including enhanced Jobs Support Scheme payouts for certain sectors.

Announcing the latest measures via a virtual media conference, the taskforce reiterated a "serious situation", as the clusters of concern have taken root in environments where maintaining safe distancing is challenging.

"We are at a point where there is a very real risk of accelerated transmission all over the community, and the current trajectory of infection would suggest that if we were to continue with our current posture, we will see a sharp increase in infections, and many people will catch the virus," said Finance Minister and task force co-chair Lawrence Wong.

The latest set of measures will apply through August 18, but the authorities will review them and consider adjustments in two weeks, depending on the situation then, he said.

Such pre-emptive tightening will "buy us time", Mr Wong added, to encourage more, particularly seniors, to get vaccinated.

Half of Singapore's population have been completely vaccinated as at Monday, but over 200,000 seniors above the age of 60 remain unvaccinated. Mobile vaccination teams will be deployed to estates where there are more unvaccinated seniors.

As at Tuesday afternoon, 314 cases have been linked to the Jurong Fishery Port cluster and Hong Lim Market and Food Centre, with more expected in coming days. These cases have spread across 28 wet markets and food centres.

Another large cluster linked to karaoke (KTV) lounges saw 205 cases as at Tuesday afternoon.

The porous nature of markets and food centres increases the risk of "cryptic and silent transmission", said Mr Ong, noting that these are also places where seniors tend to congregate. To facilitate quicker contact tracing, check-ins via SafeEntry will be mandated at wet markets and hawker centres islandwide in the coming weeks.

Kenneth Mak, director of medical services at the Ministry of Health, said infections in the Jurong Fishery Port cluster could have been introduced via sea routes from Indonesia. "While there have been efforts to make operations at the fishery ports as contactless as possible, it is very challenging… due to the hot and humid environment, and the nature of activities there," said Associate Professor Mak.

There is a "strong possibility" that transmission has occurred via contaminated surfaces and among stalls, but there is no evidence suggesting transmission through contaminated fish, he said.

Covid-19 outbreaks have occurred in similar settings overseas, including what is believed to be the first cases of the novel coronavirus in a seafood and animal market in Wuhan, China.

The authorities had previously said Singapore would pursue an "endemic policy" and regard Covid-19 as it does the flu. Asked by The Business Times if it is premature to discuss an endemic era when measures are loosened and again tightened within short spans of time, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said: "We are on the expressway towards the final objective of an endemic Covid. But along the way, there will be bumps, and sometimes you may have roadblocks, you may have obstacles and you may need to make a detour."

"I think we need to continue to plan ahead for our endemic roadmap, but at the same time, be prepared to make adjustments along the way, in response to the evolving situation," he said.

Mr Ong also noted that countries like Israel and the US have been "brave and courageous in opening up" primarily because of their higher vaccination rates. He pointed out that vaccination rates among seniors in these countries go up to 95 per cent.

They have also undergone "waves of very traumatic transmission". This means many among the population are recovered patients with natural immunity.

As current measures will extend beyond Aug 9, the Ministry of Defence is reviewing the scale of this year's National Day Parade to ensure that safe management measures are in place.

In a Facebook post after the announcements, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said the retightening will help slow the spread of cases while preventing subclusters from breaking out around each market and food centre. 

“We have to feel our way forward, and be prepared for setbacks along the way... We are not quite in the new normal yet, but steadily getting there,” he wrote.

Singapore on Tuesday reported 195 new cases of Covid-19 infection. 182 were locally transmitted, and 81 of these are linked to previous cases.

To date, agencies have imposed around 100 closure orders on F&B outlets. Licences of three “pivoted establishments” have been permanently revoked and, pending investigations, four more could be revoked.

Singapore on Tuesday reported 195 new cases of Covid-19 infection. 182 were locally transmitted, and 81 of these are linked to previous cases.

READ MORE:

• Dining-in banned, gatherings capped at 2 pax as Singapore returns to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from July 22

• Singapore government to provide targeted support to affected businesses; no need to draw on reserves

• Singapore reaches 50% vaccination rate, but 200,000 seniors yet to take the jab