SINGAPORE - All customers visiting bank retail branches must now wear face masks to be allowed to enter.

In a statement on Tuesday (April 14), the Association of Banks in Singapore (ABS) said that the new rule, which takes immediate effect, is to safeguard the health of both customers and staff. Those not wearing a face mask will not be allowed to enter branches.

Customers are also advised to wear face masks when lining up and using ATMs.

The ABS, which has 154 members comprising local and foreign banks, also advised customers to use online or mobile banking to access banking services and avoid going to the branches.

For those who find it necessary to visit bank branches, banks here have put crowd control measures in place to ensure safe distancing. These include queue markings and contact tracing. They have also stepped up the cleaning and disinfection of their branches and ATMs.

The association said that the banking industry will continue to support customers' needs even as some retail branches remain closed from April 9 to May 4 due to low footfall during the Covid-19 circuit breaker period.

Mask wearing became compulsory for all customers visiting wet markets, supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies and shopping malls since Sunday.

On Monday, the police said they were investigating a 55-year-old man for allegedly slapping a female service attendant at a petrol station after refusing to heed her advice to wear a mask before entering the store.

In a statement, the police said they have classified the incident, which took place at a petrol station in Jervois Road on Sunday at about 5.50pm, as a case of voluntarily causing hurt.