Return to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert): Dining-in to be suspended, group sizes back down to 2

Task force co-chair Lawrence Wong acknowledged that many businesses had been looking forward to reopening and would have made preparations to differentiate their customers based on vaccination status. 

“I’m sure (they) would be very disappointed to know that they now have to close and cannot allow for customers to dine in, especially for our F&B operators," he said.

The return to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) was “a very difficult decision to make” and one that the task force deliberated over, Mr Wong said. 

“But based on the assessment of the way the cases have developed, the many clusters that we are seeing, and how it's likely to have transmitted through into the community, we've decided that we have to put in place something to slow down the transmission.

“The general message to everyone under Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) is please stay home, minimise your movements and social interactions as much as you can,” said Mr Wong, who is also Finance Minister. 

READ: TraceTogether check-in to be mandatory at all wet markets and hawker centres in Singapore

READ: Wedding receptions to continue with reduced numbers; unvaccinated guests discouraged from attending

Other mask-off activities, such as strenuous indoor exercise classes or individual and group indoor sports and exercise activities, will have to cease. 

Services and activities that need masks to be removed – facials and saunas, singing and playing of wind or brass instruments – will also not be allowed. 

The restrictions will not apply to medical and dental consultations that require patients to remove their masks. But non-medical facial treatments will not be exempt.

People who work in settings with unmasked customers, such as F&B staff, have been on the mandatory Fast and Easy Test regime since mid-July. They do not have to take the COVID-19 tests during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) if their business operations are suspended. 

For businesses that remain open, including F&B outlets catering to deliveries and takeaways, staff must continue with the 14-day testing requirements. The tests will continue to be free for them during this period. 

Responding to a question about the two-week suspension on nightlife operators that pivoted to F&B, Mr Wong said the suspension allowed the authorities to study “in greater detail” the safe management measures in place. 

A "risk-based approach" will be taken to these pivoted businesses, he said. Businesses that strictly comply with safe management measures may be allowed to resume operations after two weeks.

“Some of them where there are more questions and the agencies are not satisfied that they are able to comply strictly with the measures, we may take a bit more time,” he said, adding that government agencies may have discovered some breaches in their inspections. 

“If there are operators with existing breaches, we may even then revoke the licence and not allow them to continue operating.”

READ: MINDEF reviewing scale of National Day Parade and COVID-19 measures: Lawrence Wong

READ: From tuition classes to staycations: What you need to know about Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)

NO CARPOOLING SERVICES

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) said in a separate statement on Tuesday that the updated restrictions on group sizes will apply to passengers in taxis and private hire cars. More than two passengers can only travel together if they all live in the same household. 

All forms of carpooling services will also be suspended during the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) period. These include services such as GrabHitch and RydePool. 

Social carpooling trips are only permitted among friends or colleagues if the prevailing permissible group size of two people is adhered to, said LTA.

LTA also reminded all commuters to keep their masks on at all times. 

“When travelling on public transport, commuters should try to stand apart from one another or travel off-peak periods where possible,” it added. 

"PUBLIC HEALTH SITUATION HAS CHANGED": ONG YE KUNG

The Government previously thought that as long as the number of COVID-19 cases remained at about 40 to 60 per day, Singapore could “maintain the posture” while keeping clusters under control, said Health Minister and task force co-chair Ong Ye Kung. 

“Unfortunately every day makes a difference, and the public health situation changed in a short few days,” he added. 

The Health Ministry said the current wave of infections affects a “wider spectrum of the population”, including many seniors.  

READ: Singapore, Hong Kong to review travel bubble when COVID-19 situation allows: MOT

“At the current rate of transmission, it is likely that infection cases will rise sharply, and many people in the community will catch the virus. While close to 50 per cent of the population have completed their vaccination regimen, there remains a number of vulnerable individuals, such as our seniors, who have yet to take up vaccination,” it said. 

“Unvaccinated individuals are at higher risk of being infected, and higher risk of being seriously ill if infected. Hence, in the meantime, we must act decisively to contain the current outbreak and minimise the risk of our hospital capacity being overwhelmed, while we race ahead to vaccinate those who have not completed or started their vaccination."

Singapore is "weeks away" from having two-thirds of its population fully vaccinated, said Mr Ong.

"Now is really not the time to risk it all. We need to bite this bullet, dial back on social activities, and then use this time to push through the vaccination efforts.”

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