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A view of the ‘SG Love’ message on the facade of the Shangri-La Hotel in Singapore on Thursday. Photo: EPA

Coronavirus: Singapore to ease ‘circuit breaker’ partial lockdown starting May 5

  • Traditional Chinese medicine clinics will open first followed by home-based businesses, laundry services, barbers and others from May 12
  • But venues that require ‘large groups gathering in close proximity’ may have to wait ‘for quite some time’, a minister said
Singapore on Saturday announced that it would gradually ease its partial coronavirus lockdown as the number of cases in the community dipped, with businesses to resume operations in phases starting on Tuesday.

Traditional Chinese medicine clinics will be allowed to resume acupuncture and selling goods first, followed by other businesses, including stand-alone food outlets, laundry services and barber shops, to resume operations from May 12. Schools will also bring back students from the graduating cohort for face-to-face consultations in small groups from May 19.

Coronavirus: Singapore wary over easing circuit breaker ‘too early’

“With the decrease in community transmission, the multi-ministry task force will progressively ease the tightened circuit breaker measures over the coming weeks,” said health minister Gan Kim Yong at a virtual press conference.

Singapore currently has more than 17,000 infections, some 85 per cent of which are among the city state’s low-wage migrant worker community living in dormitories. Even though the number of cases among this group remains high, community transmission has largely stabilised, with an average daily tally of 12 cases.
Singapore Health Minister Gan Kim Yong. Photo: EPA
The island nation has been under a partial lockdown since April 7, with most workplaces and schools closed and only businesses providing essential services such as food and groceries remaining open. Its so-called circuit breaker measures were initially slated to expire on May 5, but as the number of cases among its low-wage migrant workers swell, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong extended the lockdown until June 1.

In deciding which businesses to open up first, Gan said that a set criteria was considered, ranging from whether they are essential to the number of employees they have.

Coronavirus: why so few deaths among Singapore’s 14,000 infections?

National development minister Lawrence Wong, who co-heads a multi-ministerial task force that deals with the virus, said the authorities would also look at whether these businesses are located in areas where there may be “higher risks of crowds gathering”.

When asked if places of worship would be reopened, he said that the government’s approach was “cautious”, and that activities that entail close contact would still be disallowed. “Any event, any activity that entails large groups gathering in close proximity, I think those sorts of settings will have to wait for quite some time before they can resume,” he said.

Rows of empty benches are seen in the arrival hall of Changi Airport's Terminal 2 in Singapore. photo: EPA
The re-opening of home-based businesses on May 12 had earlier sparked controversy within the Malay community, after the government last week said operators who require third-party delivery or self-collection would be banned as part of its tightened measures.

This angered some operators as these services are popular during the holy month of Ramadan, when many sell their homemade food and snacks. An online petition calling for the authorities to make a U-turn soon went viral, with several commenters on social media pointing out how some homemakers counted on this work as their sole source of income.

As for the rest of Singapore’s economy, it will experience “gradual opening”, according to Wong, noting that there would be stricter guidelines in place for workplaces.

Seats cordoned off to prevent people using them along the promenade of Marina Bay in Singapore. photo: AFP

These guidelines are still under discussion, but would include provisions to ensure that employees abide by safe distancing rules, and that there are no large gatherings.

“We will be engaging the firms first to have all these conditions in place … And then when they are ready we will allow the firms to have more workers come back to work on a regular basis,” Wong said.

An app has been introduced for businesses that are resuming operations on May 12 that allows the authorities to track patrons or visitors at particular locations for easier contact tracing, he added.

Gan was quick to strike a note of caution, however, clarifying that even with Saturday’s announcement, residents would still not be allowed to dine at restaurants and should refrain from leaving their home unless necessary.

“We haven’t reached zero cases yet, and there’s yet no vaccine. Therefore, transmission is likely to continue [and] may remain undetected and we must do what we can to prevent transmission,” he said.

Wong added that the “bottom line” was that even as restrictions are eased or adjusted “this is not the time to slacken and let our guard down”.

“We strongly want to call on Singaporeans and residents in Singapore not to take this as a signal that we can slacken and we can go out and the battle is won. It is far from over,” he said.

This article appeared in the South China Morning Post print edition as: circuit-breaker measures to be eased in phases
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