Singapore will move to Phase 3 of its reopening on Dec 28, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has announced.
In an address to the nation, Lee said Singapore ease capacity limits in public places like malls and attractions, and at places of worship.
The most notable change is to allow groups of up to eight to congregate, up from the current maximum of five. This means up to eight people can dine out together, or visit someone’s home
Lee said this will make it easier to hold family get-togethers during the festive period.
However, Lee cautioned that even as the country enters Phase 3 “the COVID-19 virus has not been eradicated, and there is a long way to go”. He noted that around the world, the pandemic is still raging around the world, with many countries are seeing second, third, or even fourth waves of infection, with record numbers of daily cases.
As such international borders remain largely closed. But Lee said “trade and travel are Singapore’s lifeblood, and the longer our borders stay closed to travellers, the greater the
risk of us permanently losing out as an international hub, consequently hurting our livelihoods”
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Therefore, he said the only option is to reopen in a controlled and safe way. He did highlight though, that Singapore will see more imported cases as a result, and there will be some risk of these cases spreading to the community.
He reassured that the government will take every precaution, and do their best to prevent imported cases from triggering a new outbreak.
Lee also urged Singaporeans to keep their guard up, and said this is because the virus is most likely still circulating silently within the community.
“By all make use of the higher limits and reconnect with friends and family. But please do not abandon your mindset of watchfulness and caution… It is vital that you stay cautious and vigilant, continue to cooperate with the government, and comply with the rules and restrictions that will apply in Phase 3” Lee told Singaporeans.
In response, Singapore Chinese Chamber of Commerce & Industry (SCCCI) President Roland Ng said it supports the Government’s decision to move into Phase 3 of reopening, and said that as this goes on, companies should continue to adapt to the changing environment, and emphasize their effort in areas such as enhancing enterprise capability and strengthening collaboration in overseas markets," so as to in order to seize business opportunities as the country gradually move towards reopening.
