The Multi-Ministry Taskforce has announced an elevated set of safe

distancing measures, as a "circuit breaker" which aims to curb the trend of increasing local transmission of Covid-19.

This will involve full home-based learning for schools, and the closure of most workplaces from Apr. 7, except for essential services including food and beverage outlets, markets, and supermarkets, according to a press release from the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Apr. 3.

However, food and beverage outlets will remain open only for takeaway or delivery.

This applies to restaurants, hawker centres, coffeeshops, food courts and other food and beverage outlets.

Singaporeans are encouraged to bring their own clean containers where possible when going to takeaway their food, which would help food establishments conserve packaging materials and help with environmental sustainability, Trade and Industry Minister Chan Chun Sing said in a press conference on Apr. 3.

These food-related businesses will also remain open:

• Supermarkets
• Convenience stores
• Grocery retailers
• Wholesale markets
• Wet markets

Food suppliers and food logistics providers would also remain open.

This includes those in food and food ingredient production, food manufacturing, food processing, abattoirs/ slaughterhouses, food caterers, importers and traders, and food logistics, cold stores/ warehouses, food safety testing.

Essential services will continue to operate

Besides F&B outlets, essential services such as healthcare, social services, financial services, cleaning services, water, energy, and environment-related services will also continue to operate.

Services required for daily living such as hairdressers and barbers, lift maintenance, laundry services, transport, and telecommunications would also be allowed to continue operations.

Staff numbers to be minimised

While remaining open, these businesses must operate with the minimum staff needed, with strict safe distancing measures.

These staff should also avoid social interactions, including during their meal times, and firms whose staff become infected may be required to suspend operations.

However, this will not apply for places like retail supermarkets and logistics and delivery services, as these are essential supplies and services that may need to step up in this time.

Top image by Joshua Lee