Coronavirus: Singapore allows some schools, trades to resume activities in June, in ‘first phase’ of reopening

Workers from ‘critical, low-risk economic activities’, such as senior care services, manufacturing and finance will be able to resume work, health minister says

Singaporeans will also be able to visit their parents or grandparents as the country enters a cautious ‘first phase’ of reopening

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Singapore says ‘critical, low-risk economic activities’ will be allowed to resume operations from June 2. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 8:00pm, 19 May 2020Updated: 8:40pm, 19 May 2020

Singapore on Tuesday said it would further allow more trades and workers to resume activities next month, as it announced a phased reopening of its economy.

Health minister Gan Kim Yong, who co-chairs a multi-ministerial coronavirus task force, said that “critical, low-risk economic activities” would be allowed to resume operations from June 2.

This would include reopening certain schools and some health care services, including specialist outpatient, medical and dental services, and chronic management disease services. Senior care services and activity centres are also set to open. Some restrictions will also be eased, such as how each household will be allowed to visit their parents or grandparents who are not staying with them, said the health minister.

Gan said these moves would form the first phase of Singapore’s three-phase plan, or what he called a “safe opening”.

A hairdresser checks the temperature of a customer in Singapore on May 12, 2020. Photo: EPA-EFE

“We have been progressively easing some of the restrictions since May 5, taking a cautious, step-by-step approach, as we continue to closely monitor the number of new cases in the community,” Gan said.

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