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Current Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures, which were implemented on July 22, will ease from the coming week onwards.
With around 70 per cent of Singapore's population completing two doses by Aug. 9, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) announced in a press conference on Aug. 6 that this gives them "some confidence" to resume more activities.
Additionally, infection numbers have remained stable and the number of individuals with severe illnesses and deaths "did not rise uncontrollably".
Relaxing restrictions
However, it was emphasised that the government will continue to take a "calibrated risk-based approach" to reopening, and this includes differentiating between vaccinated and unvaccinated people when it comes to safe management and border measures.
As such, people who are fully vaccinated will be able to engage in a wider range of activities.
Vaccinated individuals refer to the following groups of people, according to the Ministry of Health (MOH):
- Those who have received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty, Moderna or WHO EUL vaccines, with an additional two weeks for the vaccine to be fully effective
- Those who have recovered from Covid-19
Dine-in allowed again
Come Aug. 10, groups of five people will be allowed to dine in at F&B establishments. All five diners have to be fully vaccinated.
Unvaccinated children aged 12 years and below (born in and after 2009) may be included within the group of five as long as all the children are from the same household.
F&B establishments that are not able to ensure that diners are vaccinated may only operate take-away and delivery services.
Unvaccinated people can dine in at hawker centres and coffee shops
Unvaccinated people can dine in but only at hawker centres and coffee shops, and in groups of up to two people.
This is because these locations are open-air and naturally ventilated.
Currently, entertainment such as live performances, recorded music, and videos/TV screening at F&B establishments will continue to be prohibited.
As dining in is a high-risk activity, diners are reminded to adhere to all safe management measures and keep their masks on at all times except when eating or drinking.
Finance minister Lawrence Wong clarified that individuals' vaccination status will be displayed on their TraceTogether or HealthHub app.
"For the most part, everyone should be able to rely on their phones to get their vaccine status verified," he said.
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