F&B dine-ins will be scaled back to group sizes of two from 19 July 2021 to 8 August 2021. This is a decrease from the current group size of five per table.
However, the Government will allow fully vaccinated individuals to continue to dine-in in groups of up to five persons at F&B establishments that have systems to check the vaccination status of individuals. Individuals allowed to dine in groups of five include those below the age of 12 and persons who have fully recovered from COVID-19.
The multi-ministry taskforce gave the update on 16 July 2021.
Dine-ins at hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops will be limited to two persons as they have a more porous setting and generally do not impose mandatory Safe Entry check-ins, said the taskforce.
In-door activities such as gyms will be reducing the group size to no more than two persons and in classes of up to 30 persons including the instructor, without the need for testing or vaccination.
The Government will also implement a two-week suspension of operations from 16 July 2021 to 30 July 2021 for all nightlife establishments that had pivoted into F&B establishments.
The suspension will affect about 400 businesses.
The announcement came after the detection of clusters in multiple KTV lounges or nightclubs.
Since October 2020, nightlife establishments have not been allowed to operate but, upon appeals by the industry, have been allowed to pivot into F&B operations.
“Regrettably, several errant establishments have abused the system by operating clandestine and illegal activities. Three such F&B establishments have since had their licenses to serve food revoked by the Singapore Food Agency. We will continue to take strict enforcement actions against all F&B operators who breach the safe management measures,” said the Ministry of Health (MOH).
MOH will conduct tests on all the staff of the establishments during the closure period.
“We will also inspect the safe management measure protocols in these establishments and ensure these are properly implemented before they are allowed to resume F&B operations,” the ministry added.
Given the tightened safe management measures, the Government will extend the 10 per cent Jobs Support Scheme (JSS) for the affected sectors from 26 July 2021 to 8 August 2021.
This will provide support to licensed F&B businesses, gyms, fitness studios, performing arts organisations and arts education centres.
To provide support to self-employed hawkers, the Government will also extend the rental waivers and subsidies for fees for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services by one month for stallholders in centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators.
