Entertainment Venues & Enrichment Centres To Close, Attractions & Places Of Worship Open With Restrictions
The Covid-19 situation is slowly peaking, and Singapore’s Covid-19 Multi-Ministry Task Force have come up with the next phase of their battle plan to mitigate the pandemic.
From Thursday (26 Apr) 11.59pm onwards, all unofficial gatherings outside of work and school should only have up to 10 people, reports Channel NewsAsia (CNA).
Unofficial gatherings of more 10 or more will be prohibited soon
Source
The restriction will hold till 30 Apr, and may be extended according to future developments.
Leisure attractions and centre-based tuition classes will also be on hold during this period.
All entertainment venues with high risk of transmission to close
In their statement on 24 Mar, the task force said that all entertainment venues where patrons are in close proximity over a long period of time will close.
Such conditions may lead to higher chances of transmission, which poses risks to the general public.
The closure will thus most likely affect venues such as night clubs, karaoke spots, cinemas, theatres and bars.
Similar activities to go under suspension include:
- Museum group tours
- Indoor/Outdoor shows within attractions
- Open atrium sales events
- Organised tours within public venues
Malls and museums, however, will remain open as visitors don’t stay in close contact for very long at these places.
Existing safe distancing measures have to remain in place, such as keeping 1 person per 16m² of space and ensuring that any group has no more than 10 people, with a 1-metre distance between them.
Malls that are unable to adhere to these strict guidelines will have to close. If Covid-19 transmission occurs in errant venues, the offending mall or attraction is liable to face additional penalties.
Dining venues will also need to practice safe distancing and space out customers by either arranging their tables further apart, or implementing alternate seating.
Centre-based tuition & enrichment classes suspended
Tuition and enrichment classes which take place in centres will also halt during this time.
According to the statement, this is to “reduce the intermingling of students from different schools and enhance the safety of our students.”
Religious congregations suspended
While religious spaces may stay open for private worship and essential rites, the maximum group size allowed is 10.
Otherwise, all religious services and congregations will also be suspended.
Earlier today, the Islamic Religious Council of Singapore (MUIS) announced that the closure of all mosques in Singapore will be extended indefinitely.
Temporary measure will let up once conditions improve
Unfortunately, the ruling will also apply to personal events such as birthdays, weddings and funerals.
The hiatus of activities for elderly citizens has also been extended till 30 Apr.
CNA quoted the task force as saying,
Much as we understand the need for friends and acquaintances to pay their last respects, and give comfort to families in their grief, we urge the public to do their part in minimising social interactions so that we can slow down the spread of the virus together.
Hopefully, these strict measures can help to abate the pandemic, so that there is no need for extension, and we can go back to life as per normal.
Featured image adapted from BBC News.
