Phase two begins on Friday, but Singapore not out of the woods yet
Ministers urge people to be responsible or risk surge in infections as more activities resume
When Singapore enters phase two of the reopening of the economy this Friday, most business and social activities will resume, including dining in at eateries.
But this does not mean that people can let their guard down and become complacent, the multi-ministry task force on Covid-19 warned yesterday.
Urging people to continue exercising personal responsibility and discipline, Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said the scope of phase two will be wide and prescribing rules for all scenarios would be challenging.
"I'm sure that even as we draw up the rules, people will be thinking of how to get around the rules.
"You can fool the rules, but you cannot fool the virus. If you violate the rules, the virus will get to you," Mr Gan, who co-chairs the task force with National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, said at a virtual press conference.
Yesterday's announcement of phase two comes about two weeks after the nation exited the circuit breaker and moved into phase one of the reopening on June 2.
In the second phase, most businesses and locations will reopen by default, with the exception of places that draw large crowds such as places of worship, venues like museums, nightclubs and cinemas, and events like conferences, exhibitions and concerts.
Mr Gan said the decision to move into phase two was taken as the number of cases in the community and migrant worker dormitories has been stable and under control.
There were 214 new cases yesterday, the lowest in about two months, with no infections among Singaporeans or permanent residents.
While social gatherings of up to five people will be permitted in phase two, restrictions such as the wearing of face masks and safe distancing will still be enforced.
LIMITED
Calling it the rule of five and one, the task force explained that gatherings will generally to be limited to five people, and individuals must keep a safe distance of at least 1m from others.
Where this is not feasible, groups of no more than five people should be at least 1m apart, with no mixing between groups.
Mr Gan said this number may be increased over time if the situation remains stable, but Mr Wong warned that it may also be decreased if the situation takes a turn for the worse.
He added: "Do not treat phase two as a signal that we can all relax, we can all let our guard down and we can now go out and do all our favourite activities."
This mindset could cause a surge in the number of Covid-19 cases and lead to the reintroduction of restrictions, he warned.
"I don't think any one of us would like to see (that)."
Mr Gan said it was a delicate balance to strike between allowing economic and community activities to resume and keeping infection rates under control.
"To succeed, we need the collective effort of every Singaporean to be socially responsible and adhere strictly to safe distancing measures.
"Minimising prolonged close contact with others, mask wearing and good hygiene practices remain key strategies in the next phase," he said.
He added that this process could continue for months before reaching phase three.
Healthcare experts told The New Paper that it was up to people to ensure their behaviour does not lead to a resurgence of the coronavirus.
Infectious disease specialist Leong Hoe Nam warned that having a celebratory mindset during phase two could be disastrous.
"When that happens, welcome circuit breaker 2," he said.
"We are seeing it in the US now. Big crowd turnouts (at events and protests) with no safe distancing and no masks. This is the perfect scenario for the virus to spread."
Professor Dale Fisher, a senior infectious disease expert at the National University of Singapore's Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, was more optimistic.
"I think Singaporeans now know what to do. Community transmission is low so the timing is right, but it is up to the community to behave," he said.
Mr Wong said: "We encourage everyone to comply (with the rules) because of your own self interest, because you want to protect yourself, protect your family members.
"All of us need to really look at the spirit of the requirements and do our part to allow for the reopening to take place in a safe and sustainable manner."
Get The New Paper on your phone with the free TNP app. Download from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store now