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On Tuesday (July 20), the Multi-Ministry Task Force announced that all F&B establishments will soon be able to offer only takeaway and delivery options.
This was among other measures announced in a further tightening of community safe management measures as Singapore returns to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert).
F&B dine-in to cease
F&B dine-in in Singapore will cease from July 22 to Aug. 18.
This includes both indoor and outdoor dine-in F&B establishments, including hawker centres and food courts.
Mask-off activities are to cease to reduce the risks of community transmission as well.
Activities such as strenuous indoor exercise classes, or strenuous individual and group indoor sports and exercise activities, will also cease.
Personalised services which require masks to be removed (e.g. facials, saunas, makeup services), singing, and the playing of instruments that require intentional expulsion of air (e.g. wind or brass instruments) will not be allowed.
These restrictions will not apply to medical and dental consultations that require patients to have their masks, MTF clarified.
Other measures announced by the task force include reducing group size from five to two and implementing mandatory SafeEntry check-in at hawker centres and wet markets.
In a press conference on Tuesday (July 20), MTF co-chair Lawrence Wong said that these measures will be reviewed after two weeks. He also urged everyone to "please stay home" and to minimise social interactions.
Likely that cases will rise "sharply"
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said that they have uncovered more clusters linked to the Jurong Fishery Port, especially in wet markets and hawker food centres.
"This is very concerning, as it can affect many people in our community all over the island," they said.
"Unlike the KTV cluster, which had spread first amongst younger population segments, the current wave of infection affects a wider spectrum of the population including many seniors. At the current rate of transmission, it is likely that infection cases will rise sharply, and many people in the community will catch the virus."
The ministry urged everyone to be vaccinated if they are eligible.
As Singapore's vaccination coverage continues to increase, vaccination differentiated SMMs will be subsequently re-introduced at an appropriate time, they said.
This will allow individuals who have been fully vaccinated to participate in more community and economic activities, and in larger events.
Top photo by Joshua Lee.