In a press release by the the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) on May 6, it was announced that more workplaces would gradually re-open, as Circuit Breaker measures ease.

Stringent measures to be implemented at workplaces that re-open

Which workplaces can re-open depend on several factors such as their importance to the economy and global supply chains, their contribution to local employment and their ability to minimise risks of transmission at their workplaces.

These businesses will have to implement the necessary safe distancing and management measures to minimise crowding in their premises.

They also have to ensure high sanitation and hygiene standards.

Here are the measures to be implemented:

• Staggered working hours and break times.
• Employers must cancel or defer all events and activities where close and prolonged contact among participants might be involved.
• All social gatherings at the workplace, including interacting at canteens or eating meals in groups, must be cancelled or deferred.
• Queue lines and signage for customers or visitors must be clearly demarcated.
• Waiting areas for customers, visitors or delivery personnel must be clearly identified and demarcated.
• SafeEntry must be implemented at the workplace to ensure employees have downloaded and activated the TraceTogether app.
• Customers/visitors and delivery personnel have to observe at least one-metre spacing at all times and do not cluster together.
• All staff, patrons and delivery personnel on the premises to have their masks on.
• Placing hand sanitisers at high-touch areas.
• Observing high levels of hygiene and cleanliness.

Selected food and retail outlets don't need to seek exemption before resuming operations on May 12

This development comes following the announcement on May 2 of the resumption of operations of selected food and retail outlets from May 12 onwards.

These businesses include retail laundry services, barbers, hairdressers and pet supplies stores.

Food retail outlets of cakes and confectionery, packaged snacks and desserts may be open for takeaway and delivery only, while manufacturing and onsite preparation of all food including cakes and confectionary, ice cream, cocoa, chocolate and chocolate products and other snacks will also be allowed.

Due to the large number of businesses in the aforementioned categories, it was also confirmed in the press release that these businesses will not need to seek exemption from MTI individually before resuming operations.

Instead, MTI will grant them a class exemption to resume business during this period, as long as the safe management measures mentioned earlier have been implemented.

Minister for Development Lawrence Wong previously stated that individual shops need to be notified to get an exemption from MTI before they would be allowed to resume operations, and warned that shops that have not been notified should not presume that they can do so.

A more detailed list of activities which can resume operations can be found here.

Businesses that are "ready" can resume operations on May 12

Minister for Trade and Industry Chan Chun Sing touched on the topic of slowly re-opening the economy in an interview on May 3.

He stated that as soon as businesses are ready by May 12, they can resume operations.

"That number [of businesses that can re-open] will depend on how many of them can use the next one week to make the necessary preparations to commence operations from May 12. Beyond that, we will continue to progressively bring on board the other companies who can put in place those measures. There is a phased plan whereby different sectors will progressively be able to restart their operations once they put in place the safe measures necessary."

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