As you may already know, the second phase of Singapore’s reopening after circuit breaker has been announced. Most businesses and social activities are allowed to resume from Friday, 19 June.
“Phase 2 is a significant step in moving towards a new ‘Covid-19 safe’ normal,” said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong in a virtual press conference.
Under phase two, retail outlets will be allowed to reopen with safe distancing measures in place. The multi-ministry task force have said phase three will be the “new normal” until a vaccine or treatment is found for Covid-19.
To help you understand the dos and don’ts of Phase 2, here’s a quick summary:
- Shop
Retail businesses can reopen their physical outlets, but larger public venues with high human traffic such as malls will be subject to capacity limits. Operators must prevent long queues or crowds from building up.
- Dine in
Food and beverage (F&B) dine-in will also be allowed, although there must not be more than five diners per table. Liquor sales and consumption must cease at 10.30pm. Live music and television and video screenings will not be allowed in all F&B outlets.
- Meet up with loved ones
Small-group social gatherings of up to five people can resume. Households can receive up to five visitors at any one time.
- Resume private tutoring
Tuition and other private enrichment classes can resume, except singing or voice training classes.
- Go for any healthcare service and visit old folks
All healthcare services can resume, including eldercare services in the community. Face-to-face visits at elderly residential facilities, including nursing and welfare homes, can resume.
- Visit the gym and other public sport facilities
Sports, parks and other public facilities can reopen, such as stadiums, swimming pools, playgrounds, beaches, lawns and fields, hard courts, gyms, fitness studios, bowling centres, and function rooms. This applies to similar facilities in private settings such as condominiums and clubs.
- Go for a massage
Personal health and wellness, and home-based services will also be allowed to resume, including massages and spas.
- Get married (or attend a wedding)
Wedding solemnisations may take place with up to 10 people at home and at the Registry of Marriages and Registry of Muslim Marriages, excluding the solemniser.
- Attend wakes and funerals
Up to 20 people may be present at any one time for wakes and funerals, up from 10 people currently.
Other services allowed to resume:
- Pet care and training will be allowed.
- Registered clubs and societies will be allowed to operate at their registered premises.
- Branches and customer service locations that had remained closed during phase one will progressively reopen.
- Financial institutions will also be allowed to resume in-person meetings with their customers on an appointment basis.
- Property viewings and car test drives will be allowed.
A note on schools:
- Students from all levels will return to school daily from June 29. Institutes of higher learning will gradually increase the number of students back on campus.
A small number of activities where large numbers of people are likely to come into close contact, often in enclosed spaces, and for prolonged periods of time, will not yet be allowed.
These include:
- Religious services and congregations.
- Large cultural venues such as libraries and museums.
- Large-scale events and venues, such as conferences, exhibitions, concerts and trade fairs; and entertainment venues such as bars, nightclubs, karaoke outlets, cinemas, theatres, and indoor and outdoor attractions.
- Paintball game centres and billiard halls remain closed.
- Maintain a safe distance of at least one metre at all times.
- Where this is not feasible, safe distancing should be maintained between groups, with each group having no more than five people. Groups must maintain one-metre distance from each other.
- Masks must continue to be worn when people are outside and at workplaces.
- For workplaces, current safe management measures will continue to apply. Telecommuting must remain the default for all businesses where feasible.
- There must not be social gatherings between employees, and safe distancing of at least one metre must be kept at all times.
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A version of this post first appeared in The Straits Times. Additional reporting by The Singapore Women’s Weekly.