Singapore's circuit breaker (CB) will end on June 2 with three phases.
Here's what will likely be open within Phase 1 and 2.
Phase 1
When? Starting June 2.
For how long? This phase is expected to last for a few weeks, until before the end of June.
Activities that can resume
Most retail outlets and other personal services will not re-open in Phase One.
Hairdressers will be allowed to offer their full range of hairdressing services.
All home-based businesses that operate using a delivery/ collection model will also be allowed to resume.
In this phase, you are still not allowed to visit your friends or significant others.
Each household will only be allowed to visit their parents or grandparents staying elsewhere, capped at a limit of two visitors from the same visiting household per day.
Children can be dropped off at parents’ and grandparents’ homes for childcare, subject to the same cap.
Most offices can also re-open, but telecommuting should be the main mode of work.
Those who have been working from home so far should continue to do so.
There will also be a gradual resumption of healthcare services, and mosques will offer limited spaces for individual prayer to cater to the needs of mobile essential workers.
Phase 2: Expect almost the entire economy to re-open
When? Phase 2 could happen before the end of June if the community infection rates remain low and stable over the two weeks (from June 2).
The authorities will decide by the middle of June to proceed with Phase Two.
For how long? Phase 2 is expected to last for months.
Activities that can resume
In this phase, almost the entire economy will be expected to re-open, with most business activities allowed to resume operations.
These include:
- Retail outlets
- F&B dine-in
- Personal health and wellness services (examples are likely to include facials, spa treatments)
- Home-based services
In other words, malls will be open.
Sports and other public facilities like stadiums, gyms, and swimming pools will be opened too if they can provide a safe environment for patrons.
Small-group social gatherings of up to five persons will be allowed.
Within the home, households may also receive up to five visitors per day.
Activities that will have to be considered more carefully
Activities in higher risk settings will have to be considered more carefully, and are not likely to open at the beginning of Phase 2.
These activities involve large groups or close contacts in enclosed spaces, and include:
- Museums
- Libraries
- Religious services and congregations
- Cinemas
- Theatres
- Bars
- Clubs and discos
- Karaoke outlets
Other large-scale events and venues, such as conferences, exhibitions, concerts and trade fairs will also have to be carefully considered.
In a Facebook post on May 29, Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong referred to this category of venues and said: "It may not be at the start of Phase 2 but could happen later."
The authorities will be discussing with the relevant entities on the timing of when they can resume activities.
It is likely that such activities will resume at a later date within Phase 2, depending on how things go.
However, limits, such as the size of gatherings, will be imposed.
Timeline not "cast in stone"
This timeline, however, is "not cast in stone", Wong said, and the situation will have to be monitored closely at every stage.
"If there are people acting recklessly and breaching the rules when the circuit breaker ends, then new clusters will surely form and we could be set back by weeks."
Here's his Facebook post: