SINGAPORE - Safe management measures will be simplified and streamlined from next Tuesday (March 15), said a multi-ministry task force tackling the Covid-19 pandemic on Friday.
The task force had previously announced that these streamlined measures would take effect on Feb 25, but the move was postponed when infections surged over the past few weeks.
Here are key updates to Covid-19 measures announced by the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday:
1. Households can have five visitors at any one time
From March 15, the maximum number of unique visitors per household will be adjusted from five people per day to five at any one time.
The permissible group size remains at five people.
2. Safe distancing encouraged but not required in mask-on settings
From March 15, safe distancing is encouraged but will not be needed between individuals or groups in all mask-on settings.
Safe distancing will continue in all mask-off settings.
Where safe distancing is needed, the distance will be adjusted to 1m for all settings.
3. Streamlining of safe management measures
As previously announced, safe management measures will be simplified to five important and effective ones.
Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the task force, stressed that the simplification of measures should not be seen as an "easing of rules" but as a "rationalisation" of measures.
The five measures are group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace requirements, safe distancing and capacity limits.
Safe management rules will be the same in the workplace as in the community.
For instance, workers who have their masks on will not need to maintain 1m safe distancing in the workplace. Social gatherings at workplaces will also be allowed to resume with up to five people for each gathering.
There will be no restrictions on cross-deployment of employees across workplaces, although employers may continue to do so for business continuity reasons.
4. Changes in capacity limits
Instead of fixing size limits for various event types, Singapore will move to setting event sizes based on the capacity of the venue.
From March 15, specific event size limits for occasions such as religious services, business events, media conferences, funerary memorial events, wedding receptions and mask-on classes will be lifted.
Zoning requirements will be removed, as the main protection is through masks and vaccinations.
Bigger events and settings which pose more infection risks will still have capacity limits imposed as a precaution. These include attractions, cruises, Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) and large work-related events, as well as large performing arts venues or sports stadiums.
5. Sports to resume with up to 30 fully vaccinated people at selected venues
From March 15, all sports will be allowed to proceed with up to 30 fully vaccinated people - including players, coaches and umpires - at selected supervised or operated sports facilities such as ActiveSG and approved private facilities.
There will be no additional testing requirements imposed, but participants are strongly encouraged to self-test before arriving for the activity.
The prevailing safe management measures will apply before and after the sport activity, and during rest breaks.
READ FULL STORY: Team sports for up to 30 vaccinated people to resume from March 15
6. More migrant workers allowed to visit the community
From March 15, up to 15,000 vaccinated migrant workers will be permitted to visit the community on weekdays, up from 3,000.
On weekends and public holidays, a maximum of 30,000 workers can visit the community, up from 6,000.
Each visit can last a maximum of eight hours.
To manage crowds at popular locations, these workers will continue to apply to visit selected locations in the community.
The Manpower Ministry will monitor the application numbers and continue to conduct regular checks at potential congregation hot spots.
READ FULL STORY: Covid-19 rules, community visit limits to be eased for migrant workers in dorms
7. Expansion of requirement for booster dose
From March 14, young people aged 12 to 17 will have to take a Covid-19 booster shot to keep their fully vaccinated status, as announced in January.
8. Simplifying testing regime for travellers on Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme
From March 14, 11.59pm, travellers to Singapore from low-risk and VTL areas will no longer need to do a supervised self-swab antigen rapid test (ART) at one of the testing centres here.
They can instead take an unsupervised self-swab ART within 24 hours of arrival and report this test result via this website before proceeding with their activities in Singapore.
9. Unvaccinated children aged 12 and below from different households can enter premises with vaccination-differentiated measures
From March 15, unvaccinated children aged 12 and below need not be from the same household to be included within a group entering premises or participating in activities with vaccination-differentiated safe management measures.
Those who are eligible must be born in 2010 or later.
