Tighter rules will buy time to roll out booster shots and vaccinate more: PM Lee

[SINGAPORE] Tighter Covid-19 restrictions will give the government more time to deliver booster shots and vaccinate those still not vaccinated, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a Facebook post on Friday night (Sept 24).

"Meanwhile, we are also expanding our hospital capacity. This will ensure that our healthcare system is not overwhelmed and can continue to take good care of all those who need medical care, whether for Covid-19 or other conditions," he said.

From Monday, people will be allowed to gather only in groups of two, as part of tightened restrictions to slow the exponential rise in Covid-19 cases.

These measures will last a month and will be lifted on Oct 25, with the measures reviewed in two weeks and adjusted, depending on the community situation.

The move follows a sharp spike in cases here, with the number of cases rising to over 1,000 for three days in a row this week.

The new measures, PM Lee said, are meant to protect the capacity of Singapore's healthcare system.

In tandem, operations to support fully vaccinated Covid-19 patients recovering at home are being ramped up.

To cope with the new restrictions, which include reducing the number allowed to dine in to two from five, affected businesses will also receive support, said PM Lee.

Meanwhile, more patients are being placed in new Community Treatment Facilities (CTF) to free up hospital beds for more serious cases.

These facilities will provide closer monitoring and management of stable patients with co-morbidities and who are otherwise asymptomatic or have no symptoms.

The first patients arrived at Singapore's first CTF in Tampines on Thursday."We have to adapt our response to Covid-19 as the pandemic develops," PM Lee said."I know the changes can be confusing and unsettling, but please bear with us," he added."We will work closely with you to protect all our families."

THE STRAITS TIMES