Singapore to simplify Covid-19 rules from March 15, including allowing 5 household visitors at a time, Latest Singapore News - The New Paper
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Singapore to simplify Covid-19 rules from March 15, including allowing 5 household visitors at a time

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Singapore will simplify its safe management measures from March 15, as the Omicron wave has likely peaked and Covid-19 cases are falling.

The streamlining, which was earlier announced but deferred due to a surge in cases, will cover five areas: group sizes, mask-wearing, workplace rules, safe distancing and capacity limits.

Should the pandemic situation change, these parameters will be tightened or relaxed across the board. Other restrictions - such as the blocking-off of public seating areas - will be lifted, given that they do not have a big impact on the virus' spread.

Announcing the new date on Friday (March 11), Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong stressed that the changes do not represent a broader easing of rules. Rather, they are meant to make the rules easier for businesses and individuals to understand, and encourage a greater sense of personal responsibility, he said.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung noted that the seven-day moving average of local Covid-19 cases had peaked at 18,300 cases on Feb 26, and has come down gradually to 16,300 as at Thursday.

The weekly infection growth rate was 0.93, meaning that case numbers are going down and will halve in four to five weeks.

But the Health Ministry expects this number to further go down in the coming days, Mr Ong said.

The streamlining of rules means the maximum permitted group size for social gatherings remains at five. Households will also be allowed to host five guests at any one time.

A 50 per cent capacity limit will be set for large events and settings with more than 1,000 people, such as attractions, cruises, conventions, performing arts venues and sports stadiums.

One of the biggest changes is that team sports for up to 30 people will be allowed to resume from March 15 at selected venues, given that there has been no clear evidence that transient contact while playing sports leads to infections.

"After two years of suspending sporting activities, I think that suspension is taking its toll especially amongst our young," Mr Ong said, adding that sports are good for health.

The plan to simplify the country's safe management measures, which would pave the way for a broader easing of restrictions, was first outlined on Feb 16 by the multi-ministry task force handling the pandemic.

But a week later, the authorities announced this plan would be put on hold, given a surge in Covid-19 cases which saw long lines forming at general practitioners' clinics.

Mr Ong noted that the intensive care unit (ICU) utilisation rate is currently well within capacity.

However, normal wards - and especially the emergency departments - remain overloaded, he said. While the cases that public hospitals attend to has come down from 3,000 to 2,800 daily, the number remains very high, he added.

The minister then outlined measures to ease the load on hospitals, including transferring an average of 470 patients per day to Covid-19 treatment facilities.

Mr Gan said the authorities will continue to monitor the situation closely.

"And when the situation improves and healthcare capacity permits, we will be able to take the next step in easing our safe management measures."

covid-19Ministry of Healthcoronavirus