Transparent plastic screens have been placed around the podiums in the House as part of measures to make Parliament sittings safer during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members, who now wear masks throughout the sitting and take them off only when speaking, were also seen wiping down the microphones and podiums after speaking at yesterday's sitting, when the Fortitude Budget was debated.

In an Instagram post yesterday, Speaker of Parliament Tan Chuan-Jin said that the Perspex screens were installed to facilitate safer speaking.

He also thanked the Parliament team for setting them up.

The new screens, first seen at yesterday's sitting, are the latest in a series of precautionary measures rolled out in the House since March.

On March 25, members sat farther apart for the first time after new safe distancing measures were introduced, with some spread out in the public and press galleries on other levels.

Members of the public who wished to view proceedings at the House had to do so via livestreaming at the auditorium. Members of the media had to do so from the press room.

MPs also had to take breaks in separate groups to further reduce mingling, and use separate restrooms.

Mr Tan said then that the new steps were aligned to stricter safe distancing measures to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Late last month, President Halimah Yacob approved four other locations for Parliament sittings up till Nov 20.

They are the Arts House in Old Parliament Lane, The Treasury in High Street, the Civil Service College in North Buona Vista Road and NTUC Centre in Marina Boulevard.

The announcement came after a Bill was passed earlier the same month to amend the Constitution to allow the House to meet in multiple locations if needed.

Parliament had allowed some of its members to address the House remotely for the first time during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (Sars) outbreak in 2003.

Madam Halimah gave her assent to the constitutional amendment on May 15.

Before the change, parliamentarians could meet at only one physical location - Parliament House.

In presenting the Bill for debate last month, Leader of the House Grace Fu said details of continuity arrangements such as the mode of communication between the appointed places will be decided by the House or the Speaker.

When activated, the arrangements will mean MPs can take part in Parliament proceedings fully despite being in separate places, and their presence will count for attendance, quorum and voting. The powers, immunities and privileges of the House will also apply.