Five fully vaccinated people from the same household will now be able to dine in together at food and beverage (F&B) establishments in Singapore.
This announcement was made by the Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF) in a press conference on Tuesday (November 8).
Dining In Singapore Amid Covid Restrictions
The easing of restrictions will kick in from November 10, for F&B establishments that are able to follow comprehensive Vaccine Differentiated Safe Management Measure (VDS) checks.
One needs to remember that the dine-in group size for those who qualify for VDS–but are not from the same household–is still capped at two.
The "same household" qualifier means unvaccinated kids who are 12 years and below, in line with their eligibility for VDS. This means that dining-in for a group of friends from five different houses, for instance, will not be allowed.
Dining Restrictions In Singapore Eased: Restaurants And Bars Can Play Soft Recorded Music
As per the latest relaxations, restaurants and bars can play soft recorded music. However, live music and entertainment will remain banned.
Singapore had earlier put a ban on music inside food and beverage outlets to prevent patrons from having to raise their voices and thus potentially curbing the spread of the virus.
Coffee shops and hawkers not included
The new measure is not applicable to coffee shops and hawker centres. The reason being, it is not possible for them to conduct comprehensive VDS checks of all their diners.
However, the authorities have said that they are prepared to extend the same concession to coffee shops and hawker centres once they have put in place additional control measures.
The Singapore Food Agency (SFA) and the National Environment Agency (NEA) will be engaging with the hawkers' association and coffee shop operators respectively on this matter.
Punishments for those who fail to abide
Reportedly, strict action will be taken against individuals who breach this rule by pretending to be from the same household.
Similarly, F&B outlets that fail to implement the necessary checks will also be punished. The F&B outlet will be subject to immediate closure and errant individuals will be fined. These penalties will apply to first-time offenders as well.
MTF urged people to exercise care and restraint when dining in Singapore, especially if there are elderly members staying in the household.
Previous restrictions
The earlier restrictions which were last updated on October 13 allowed Food and beverage establishments only to allow two vaccinated people per group to dine together. A test was required for those who were unvaccinated.
Upto two vaccinated people per group were allowed to dine at coffee shops and hawker centres.
If you recall, Singapore allowed eight people from different households to dine in together at the start of 2021. But as infections emerged in different parts of the country, the Singapore government restricted this social activity for fear of virus transmission.
COVID-19 Vaccination Status In Singapore
To date, 85% of the population has got both their jabs and 18% have received boosters. As the Ministry said recently, "Progress in vaccination and boosters has contributed immensely to the tempering of Covid-19 cases."
As per the Health Ministry data, the country's health-care system remains heavily utilised, with slightly less than 70% of intensive care beds in public hospitals occupied.
The other major development related to vaccination of children between the ages of 5 and 11 years is that with the Pfizer vaccine already approved for use kids of the same age group in the U.S., Singapore is assessing whether to do the same.
The government is embarking on a study with a few hundred kids in the age group who will receive a smaller vaccination dose.
As the government brings in relaxations, it is important to follow the COVID-19 guidelines always. Wear your mask, sanitise your hands, and avoided crowded places.
Source: Bloomberg
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