Singapore resets safe-distancing rules; safe-management measures distilled into 5 parameters
SAFE-DISTANCING rules will no longer be required in mask-on settings in Singapore, as the authorities seek to rationalise Covid-19 restrictions that they say have become "unwieldy" over time.
"We are in a new phase of dealing with the pandemic, and at the same time, the rules have become complex, unwieldy and it's becoming harder for people to remember or to follow the rules," said Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the Covid-19 multi-ministry taskforce, during a briefing on Wednesday (Feb 16).
This means safe-management measures (SMM), accumulated over the past 2 years, will now be distilled into 5 key parameters from Feb 25: group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace requirements, safe distancing and capacity limits, according to a statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH).
Besides the ease of remembering, Wong said having these key parameters will enable the authorities to adjust SMMs more nimbly and responsively.
"If we were to ease in the coming weeks, we can ease along these 5 parameters and if ever there is a need to tighten because of the threat of a new variant, we will also be able to tighten along these 5 parameters," said Wong.
While safe-distancing rules will be removed for mask-on activities it will continue to be required for mask-off settings.
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Social gatherings remain limited to 5 persons, but the maximum number of unique visitors per household will be adjusted from 5 persons per day to 5 persons at any one time.
Mask-wearing will continue to be required as a default with no exceptions.
Safe-management measures at the workplace will be aligned with those in the community, which means mask-wearing workers need not maintain a 1-metre safe distance.
At the same time, social gatherings at the workplace will be allowed to resume with a limit of 5 persons.
MOH added that there will be no restrictions on cross-deployment of employees across workplaces, although employers may continue to do so for business continuity reasons.
Capacity limits will be based on the capacity of the venue rather than the event type from Mar 4.
This means specific event size limits will be lifted for events such as religious services, business events, media conferences, funerary memorial events, wedding receptions, and mask-on classes.
Large events and settings that pose more infection risks will still face capacity limits as a precaution.
This means that larger settings and events with more than 1,000 people and are mask-on would be subject to a capacity limit of 50 per cent.
Smaller settings and events with fewer than 1,000 people can proceed without being subject to any capacity limit.
"Although SMMs 1 to 5 do not represent a relaxation but a streamlining and a review of the rules, there is actually quite profound implications in the way we manage the pandemic from henceforth," said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who also co-chairs the taskforce.
Noting that there will not be major changes to the rules for now, Wong said: "The reset of the safe management measures will help set the stage for further easing down the road. This is not the time for easing. What I've just described is streamlining and rationalisation."
This is because there is still a rise in infection numbers in Singapore, with the country in the midst of an Omicron wave, he added.
On Tuesday, Singapore saw a record 19,420 new Covid-19 cases, more than double from the day before.
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