Many countries have gone on lockdowns to prevent further spread of COVID-19. Such lockdowns have significantly disrupted lives and economies throughout the world, but were deemed necessary to ease the strain on healthcare systems in those countries.

A new phase in our fight

Due to the recent spike in COVID-19 imported cases, Singapore has disbarred all short-term visitors from entering or transiting through Singapore, and further curtailed the entry of work pass holders. While Singapore has not gone down the route of a total lockdown, more needs to be done to reduce the risk of further local transmission of the virus. Otherwise, more drastic measures will be needed later.

Stricter safe distancing measures for 5 weeks

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce has announced stricter measures that limits all gatherings outside school and work to 10 or fewer. Places where people usually gather in close contact for long periods, such as bars, cinemas, places of worship and tuition centres, will be closed. For places where contact is transient, such as malls, they can remain open, but with further restrictions to limit close contact.

All these measures are in place to minimise further spread of the virus, and will be in place until 30 April. However, it may be extended if the situation does not improve.

[Update as at 6 Apr] From 7 April until 4 May 2020 (inclusive), heightened safe-distancing measures will be implemented to reduce movement, and prevent further spread of COVID-19. Only essential services that support daily needs will remain open, with safe-distancing measures in place. Click here to read more.

More info on the measures: click here.

Reducing the amount of physical interactions is critical to preventing new clusters from emerging, or widespread local transmission.

Please take safe-distancing seriously. 

For what you can do as an individual to practise safe-distancing, click here. 

For measures for the workplace, click here.