Singapore will move on to phase three of re-opening come 28 December 2020.
Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced the plan during a live national broadcast on 14 December 2020.
The Government will ease capacity limits in public places like malls, attractions, places of worship. It will also allow groups of up to eight to congregate, instead of the current maximum of five.
Mr Lee, however, cautioned that the battle against COVID-19 is far from over.
“Around the world, the pandemic is still raging – many countries are seeing second, third, or even fourth waves of infection, with record numbers of daily cases,” he declared.
Nevertheless, he explained that trade and travel are Singapore’s lifeblood and that the longer our borders stay closed, the greater the risk of us permanently losing out as an international hub, consequently hurting our livelihoods.
He said: “Our only option is to re-open our borders in a controlled and safe manner … The Government will take every precaution and do our best to prevent imported cases from triggering a new outbreak.”
Since the first known case in Singapore on 23 January 2020, Singapore has reported over 58,000 cases with 29 fatalities to date.
Following Mr Lee’s broadcast, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) elaborated on the measures that the country can expect to see in phase three.
The MTF will allow for the following further re-opening of activities in the community from 28 December 2020:
Social Gatherings
Up to eight persons will be allowed to gather socially.
Households may also receive up to eight visitors at any point in time.
To reduce the likelihood of spread, people should continue to limit their social circle to a small group of regular contacts.
Capacity Limits in Malls and Large Stores
For malls and large standalone stores, the Government will adjust the capacity limit from 10sqm per person to 8sqm per person.
Attractions may also start applying to the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) to increase their operating capacity from 50 per cent to 65 per cent.
Religious Organisations
All religious organisations will be allowed to increase their capacity for congregational and other worship services to up to 250 persons.
Congregational services, worship services, as well as religious prayers conducted at places of worship may involve live performance elements with the necessary, safe management measures in place.
Marriage Solemnisation
For marriage solemnisations held in the home, the hosting household will be able to invite up to eight visitors, excluding the members of the hosting household, the solemniser, and the vendors.
Instrumental Music (For Indoor Activities)
Marriage solemnisations, funerals and funerary-related activities will also be allowed to have live instrumental music, save for wind instruments with the necessary safe management measures in place.
Indoor & Outdoor Live Performances
Indoor live performances will be allowed to have up to 250 persons in zones of up to 50 persons each.
The MTF will also be expanding outdoor live performance pilots to 250 persons in zones of up to 50 persons each, to ensure that venues are still able to safely manage larger outdoor performances while mitigating the gathering of peripheral crowds.
The Government will consider allowing further resumption of activities over the course of phase three if the local COVID-19 situation remains stable and if it can deploy more enablers.
The Government has also made provision for all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore to have access to COVID-19 vaccination by the end of 2021, provided there are no shipment disruptions.
While the COVID-19 vaccination will be voluntary, the MTF strongly encouraged everyone to get vaccinated, as and when it is made available to them.
“To ensure the accessibility of the vaccine and encourage take-up, the vaccination will be free for all Singaporeans and long-term residents in Singapore,” said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong.
The Government will progressively vaccinate the entire population, prioritising those who are at greater risk and most in need of COVID-19 vaccination.
This will include healthcare workers, COVID-19 frontline workers, and vulnerable groups, in terms of age and health.
