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Groups of up to five fully vaccinated persons, even if they're not from the same household, will be allowed to dine in at F&B establishments in Singapore from Monday (Nov. 22).

This was announced by the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on Saturday (Nov. 20) afternoon.

The MTF also announced that groups of five fully vaccinated persons will only be allowed to dine in at hawker centres and coffeeshops where full vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) have been implemented.

The first batch of hawker centres and coffeeshops will conduct such checks from Nov. 23.

Hawker centres and coffeeshops with VDS checks from Nov. 23

According to a press release by the National Environment Agency (NEA), the first batch comprises 11 hawker centres and seven coffeeshops.

The 11 hawker centres are:

1. Bedok Food Centre
2. Beo Crescent Market
3. Geylang Serai Market
4. Holland Village Market & Food Centre
5. Market Street Interim Food Centre
6. Sembawang Hills Food Centre
7. Tiong Bahru Market
8. Kampung Admiralty Hawker Centre
9. Ci Yuan Hawker Centre
10. Hawker Centre @ Our Tampines Hub
11. Pasir Ris Central Hawker Centre

And the seven coffeeshops are:

1. Barfood & Co (1 Cantonment Road)
2. Goodyear Restaurant Enterprise (15 Tampines Avenue)
3. Qi Xiang (973 Upper Serangoon Road)
4. B4RI (362 Tanjong Katong Road)
5. The Patio (1018, Sembawang Road)
6. Satay By The Bay (Gardens By The Bay)
7. Makansutra Gluttons Bay (Esplanade Mall)

NEA said that the remaining hawker centres are expected to similarly have the VDS system in place by Nov. 30.

Other coffeeshops can come onboard when they have put in place the necessary control measures.

In the meantime, only up to two fully vaccinated persons will be allowed to dine in at hawker centres and coffeeshops without the necessary VDS checks.

Unvaccinated individuals are not allowed to dine-in at any hawker centre or coffee shop, and may continue to only take-away food from these establishments.

Seniors encouraged to minimise dining activities

In a Facebook post on Nov. 20, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu encouraged seniors to minimise their dining activities at hawker centres and coffeeshops.

Fu added that they should consider opting for takeaway or get help from household members to buy takeaway food on their behalf.

"We seek your cooperation and understanding on the mandatory vaccination checks at hawker centres and coffeeshops under the adjusted vaccination-differentiated SMMs (VDS).

These checks are in place to better protect the unvaccinated. They are at higher risk of infection and severe illness, as they make up the majority of those who require intensive inpatient care, and disproportionately contribute to the strain on our healthcare resources."

Senior Minister of State for MSE Amy Khor also said in a Facebook post:

"We will observe the implementation for the initial batch and refine the processes, if necessary. We seek everyone’s understanding and cooperation as these control measures protect the unvaccinated who are at higher risk of infection and severe illnesses."

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Top image by Mothership reader.