Individual F&B outlets need to be notified by the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) to get an exemption, before they can start resuming operations.

This was announced by Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong during a virtual press conference on May 2, 2020.

According to Wong, individual shops that have not been notified by the authorities should not presume that they can be allowed to restart operations.

Shops should not presume that they can reopen unless notified

On April 21, a number of food manufacturers and food outlets, including bubble tea shops, were no longer considered essential services, and were ordered to close temporarily, under the extended circuit breaker measures.

Such food and beverage (F&B) outlets were tentatively allowed to reopen on May 5, as MTI announced that the tighter measures will be in place "minimally" for a two-week period.

However, although some individual F&B outlets may have put up notices, stating that they would reopen on May 5, Wong clarified that these shops would remain closed, at least until May 12.

"I'm not sure why some of them have gone ahead to put up that notification. It may well be that they are hoping that things will be lifted after May 4, because we did say that we will review after May 4. But we are not opening up after May 4 at all, as you can see from the announcement today," said Wong.

He also said that the categories of shops that will be reopened on May 12 has been announced today, and that individual shops need to be notified to get an exemption from MTI before they would be allowed to resume operations.

These notices would be sent out progressively by MTI between now and May 12, and Wong warned that shops that have not been notified should not presume that they can be allowed to resume operations.

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Top image from Mothership reader.