Singapore eases Covid-19 measures: How will you be affected by the changes?

SINGAPORE - Covid-19 safety measures in Singapore are being relaxed significantly as the country reopens the economy further amid low community case numbers. 

Here's a rundown of the changes you can expect.

1. Back to work

Working from home remains the default, but from next Monday, more employees who can work from home can opt to return, provided:

• They continue to work from home for at least half their working time.
• Fewer than half of a firm’s employees are at the workplace at any point.
• Workers have flexible working hours to minimise crowding.
• Reporting times are staggered, with half of all employees starting work at 10am or later.
• Split team or shift arrangements continue.
• Work-related events of up to 50 people, depending on venue capacity, are allowed.
• Larger-scale social gatherings within or outside the workplace remain off the table.

2. Tying the knot

• Up to 100 people, including the wedding couple, are allowed at wedding receptions from Oct 3, double the current number.
• Participants must be split into zones of up to 50 people each, or attend at staggered timings, with up to 50 people in each slot.
• There should be at least 30 minutes between slots for cleaning and disinfection.
• The cap for solemnisations will also be increased to 100 people, split across zones of up to 50 people each.
• Weddings at void decks and multi-purpose halls can resume in November, under a pilot which allows receptions organised by registered wedding organisers to take place at HDB common areas.

3. Catching a movie

• Large cinema halls with more than 300 seats can seat up to half this number, with up to three zones of 50 people each from next Thursday.
• Smaller cinema halls can increase their capacity to 50per cent of the original figure, or maintain the current limit of up to 50 people per hall.

4. Worship and prayer

• All religious organisations can conduct services for up to 100 people from Oct 3, with safe distancing and safe management measures in place.

5. Travelling for business

• Senior executives with extensive regional or international responsibilities will be allowed to go on essential business trips under a new pilot scheme.
• Limited passes will be given out through Singapore’s economic agencies, and those who travel will have to abide by a strict, controlled itinerary.
• When they return, they will be given the option of doing a Covid-19 test instead of serving a stay-home notice, and self-isolating until test results are out.
• The number of passes will be strictly limited in the initial phase.

6. Masks and children

• Children under the age of six are no longer required by law to wear masks from next Monday, with the age limit raised from the current two years, in line with international recommendations.

For the latest updates on the coronavirus, visit here.

This article was first published in The Straits Times. Permission required for reproduction