SINGAPORE — Up to half of the people who can work from home may return to their workplaces from Thursday (Aug 19), as Covid-19 regulations are relaxed further under a four-stage plan to move towards living with the coronavirus circulating within the population.

In response to media queries, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement late on Wednesday that since the review of the heightened alert restrictions by the Government’s Covid-19 task force on Aug 6, the situation here has remained stable.

It will therefore further ease measures from Thursday. 

However, the requirements for dining out at eateries, for funerals, for wedding receptions and for sports and exercise activities remain unchanged.

The following are some of the revised regulations. 

1. Social gatherings at work

Aside from increasing the number of people who can return to the office, social gatherings at the workplace will now be allowed as well.

2. Mass events and gatherings

Up to 1,000 fully vaccinated attendees — instead of 500 — will be allowed at congregational and other worship services; cinemas; meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions; live performances; and spectator sports events.

Other non-congregational religious activities will be allowed to resume, including religious classes, in gatherings of up to 50 people.

Provisions for children aged 12 and below apply, in that if there is more than one child in a group, they must all be from the same household. Adults in the group who are vaccinated may be from different households as the children.

For large-scale events, the number of children is capped at 20 per cent of the event size.

3. Marriage solemnisations

Up to 1,000 fully vaccinated attendees — instead of 500 — for marriage solemnisations held at an external venue that is not in a place of residence or in the Registry of Marriages and Registry of Muslim Marriages building will be allowed.

The number includes the wedding couple but excludes vendors and marriage solemnisers.

Provisions for children aged 12 and below apply as above.

4. Cruises and tours

The operating capacity of attractions and cruises will be raised to 50 per cent from the present 25 per cent.

Tours involving movement of people, such as those using buses, can have up to 50 people, while other tours can have no more than 20 participants. 

5. Museums and libraries

Museums and public libraries will be allowed to operate at an increased capacity of 50 per cent.

6. Malls and showrooms

Occupancy limits for malls and showrooms will go up to 10 sqm of gross floor area per person, from the current 16 sqm per person.

7. Temperature screening

Temperature screening at public premises is no longer required.

SITUATION REPORT

Since Aug 6 when the revised regulations were announced, the number of Covid-19 patients in critical condition under intensive care has hovered between four and 11, and six infected people have died from complications.

The number of active clusters has fallen from 126 on Aug 6 to 87 on Wednesday.

Overall, the number of new cases in the community has dropped from 448 cases in the week before to 316 cases on Wednesday, compared with 671 as reported on Aug 6.

On Wednesday, the seven-day moving average number of all linked community cases and all unlinked community cases were 31.7 and 13.4 respectively — an improvement from 66.9 and 29.0 as reported on Aug 6.