From Feb 1, More Restrictions for the Unvaccinated will be Implemented

Singapore’s Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) will extend to more events and venues from 1 Feb 2022. The VDS includes all indoor sports facilities and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs).

Unvaccinated guests will no longer be allowed to visit serviced apartments, hotels, and hostels for leisure purposes. Thus, only fully vaccinated individuals or people who have a 180-day exemption due to being previously infected with COVID-19 will be permitted to enter these spaces.

Last 14 Dec 2021, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce said that the VDS expansion will be placed to “better protect the vulnerable and at-risk groups in our population, while allowing specific concessions for fully vaccinated individuals to return safely to the workplace”.

VDS MUST PERTAIN TO ALL EVENTS

From February 1, all events must implement the VDS measures – regardless of the event size. This shall include media conferences, work-related events, and funerary memorial events.

The Multi-Ministry Taskforce decided that this change is necessary because “even smaller-sized events can spark transmission that can then spread to wider groups of people, especially in view of the Omicron variant.”

FURTHER DETAILS

The VDS measures will be required at work-related events, media conferences, and funerary memorial events starting 1 Feb 2022. Funerals, wakes, or funeral processions that were held prior to cremation or burial do not fall under the VDS requirements. However, no more than thirty individuals at any time may participate in these activities.

There are other exemptions. Students in IHLs who are completing their full-time NITEC/Higher NITEC, degree, or diploma programs will be exempted from the VDS requirements when entering their respective academic institutions.

WORK ADJUSTMENTS FROM JAN 15

Last 26 Dec 2021, the Ministry of Health announced that unvaccinated workers will no longer be permitted to return to the workplace despite having negative pre-event testing (PET) result. This statement was released to the press:

“Following the review and discussion with tripartite partners, we have decided to remove the PET concession for unvaccinated persons to return to the workplace from 15 Jan, 2022.”

Partially vaccinated workers who received one dose of vaccine will be granted a grace period until January 31 to complete their vaccination and to enter their workplaces.

Image Credits: pixabay.com

These measures apply to foreign workers too. Foreigners who wish to work here on a long-term basis or want to renew their existing employment visas will have to be inoculated against COVID-19. According to the MOH, exemptions will be granted for children below 12 and for the people who are medically ineligible for the shots.

PRECAUTIONS FOR THE OMICRON

“WE HAVE TO LEARN TO LIVE WITH OMICRON AS WE HAVE WITH DELTA,” said Co-chair Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.

These precautionary measures were considered in view of a boost in COVID-19 infections by the Omicron variant. MOH stated that “international evidence indicates that the Omicron variant is likely to be more transmissible but less severe than the Delta variant.”

“We have done whatever we can to prepare ourselves for it; especially in administering boosters to our population and starting vaccinations for our children. We seek the cooperation and understanding of everyone, as we weather through an Omicron wave in the next one to two months,” added by the MOH.

Sources: 1, 2, 3, & 4

 

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Temasek Foundation Gets Ready For The Distribution Of Free Surgical & N95 Masks

Key Highlights

  • Temasek Foundation will soon provide free surgical and N95 masks to households in Singapore.
  • The Foundation is conducting trials before making it widely available.
  • Households will be able to claim the masks by presenting SP Group bills at various malls and supermarkets.

As new variants and cases emerge, Temasek Foundation is set to distribute free surgical and N95 masks by the end of August. Surgical masks and N95 respirators are examples of personal protective equipment that are used to shield the wearer from airborne particles and other liquid contaminating the face.

The Foundation recently clarified that there were no distribution exercises last August 4, despite the emergence of the banner advertising online. Temasek’s Chief Executive Ho Ching said in a Facebook post that the Foundation is working with CapitaLand malls and participating supermarkets to conduct trial exercises where masks will be distributed when people show their SP Group bills.

In these trial exercises, each household will be entitled to twenty-five pieces of N95 masks and fifty pieces of medical-grade surgical masks.

The mass distribution was intended to start after National Day, but it has since been postponed to the end of August. The distribution exercises could be pushed back to September, should there be any outstanding back-end issues that need to be resolved.

Nonetheless, household representatives are encouraged to reduce plastic waste by bringing their own bags to carry the boxes of masks when the collection begins.

CURBING THE SPREAD OF DELTA

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread across the world, public health officials are watching certain coronavirus variants and mutations that can be more contagious or fatal than the original strain. The Delta variant, also known as B.1.617.2, has been found to spread more easily.

As most of us know, the Delta variant is twice as contagious as the other variants that caused COVID-19 last year. This variant entails Singapore residents to wear more effective masks to help bring down the infection numbers.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

Noting that each case has an infectivity rate of between five and six people, Ms. Ho Ching said that “80% of the population needs to wear 80% effective masks or better” to curb the spread of the virus. She added that N95 masks can be worn for high-risks jobs such as looking after COVID-19 patients.  The N95 respirator is a respiratory protective device designed to achieve a very close facial fit and an efficient filtration of airborne particles. The edges of this device are designed to form a seal around the mouth and the nose.

“With the medical grade surgical and N95 masks with effectiveness of 95% or better, we have an additional option for better protection.”

Furthermore, pharmacies will no longer be involved in the mask distribution exercises as these establishments do not have enough space to cater for it.

Sources: 1 & 2

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Essential Updates On The COVID-19 Safety Measures From July 12 To Present

[This article has been updated to adhere to the recent announcements given last July 16.]

More COVID-19 safety measures will be eased from July 12 onwards. Here are some of the highlights.

#1: GROUPS OF UP TO 5 PEOPLE CAN DINE-IN AT F&B ESTABLISHMENTS

The limit on groups allowed to dine-in at Food and Beverage (F&B) establishments was raised from 2 to 5. Up to five people can eat together as long as they are all fully vaccinated, equipped with negative Pre-Event Testing (PET) results, proven to recover from COVID-19 within 270 days, or qualify for the 5-person group eligibility rule. You must adhere to other safety measures such as social distancing and always wearing their masks (i.e., except when eating or drinking) too.

Dining-in remains as a higher-risk activity due to having many people unmasked in close proximity with one another. We must do our best to reduce the expulsion of droplets while at these establishments. Thus, entertainment at these places such as live singing and video screening will continue to be prohibited.

#2: WEDDING RECEPTIONS RESUME WITH NO MORE THAN 250 PEOPLE

The wedding receptions have resumed with no more than 250 people allowed with Pre-Event Testing. For wedding receptions with 50 people or less, PET will only be required for the wedding party. The wedding party usually includes the couple, their bridesmaids, and groomsmen.

As wedding reception remains as a higher-risk activity where guests tend to socialize over a long period of time, guests must adhere to all other safety measures to reduce the risk of transmission.

#3: FITNESS STUDIOS AND GYMS MAY CONDUCT INDOOR MASK-OFF EXERCISE ACTIVITIES

Fitness studios and gyms are allowed to conduct indoor mask-off exercise activities in groups of up to 5 people. However, indoor high-intensity mask-off activities will limit to groups of 2 from July 19.

Image Credits: unsplash.com

The cap on class size for both outdoor and indoor mask-on classes will be raised to 50 (i.e., including the instructor) or to the capacity limit of the venue, whichever is lower.

#4: SOCIAL GATHERINGS AT THE WORKPLACE CAN HAPPEN

Despite having work-from-home as a default arrangement, employers are allowed to have social gatherings in the workplace until July 18. Up to 5 people can gather for said gatherings.

Furthermore, employers must ensure that they implement flexible working hours and staggered start times.

#5: ANTIGEN RAPID SELF-TEST KITS TO BE SOLD AT SUPERMARKETS AND CONVENIENCE STORES

Antigen Rapid Test kits were made available at designated local pharmacies from June 16. Fortunately for us, these self-test kits will be available at supermarkets and convenience stores from July 16 onwards.

Customers may also purchase more than 10 kits per person. This will allow the members of the public to buy as many kits as they need.

#6: TRACETOGETHER, SAFEENTRY REQUIREMENTS WILL BE REINTRODUCED IN SUPERMARKETS FROM JULY 21

Ministry of Health stated that the high volume of patrons in supermarkets increases the risk of transmission. Thus, all supermarkets will enforce TraceTogether-only (TT) SafeEntry (SE) and deploy SafeEntry Gateways from July 21.

The reintroduction of this rule will facilitate more targeted contact tracing for people who visited indoor buildings at the same time as an infected person.

According to MOH: “We encourage all members of public to comply with the SE check-in requirements and to carry their TT Token or keep their TT App active to facilitate contact tracing and help protect themselves and their loved ones.”

Image Credits: unsplash.com

When at least half of the population has been vaccinated, differentiated measures for people vaccinated under the national vaccination program will be introduced. The nation is expected to reach this milestone by the end of July.

Sources: 1 & 2

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