With the on-going spike in the number of confirmed Covid-19 cases from the so-called KTV cluster, Singapore will again limit dining out groups to two instead of five.
The current limit of five persons was just introduced less than a week ago on July 12.
As of July 16, there are 53 new confirmed local cases reported, including 32 belonging to the KTV cluster. That brings this cluster’s total number so far to 120 - and counting.
However, in a press conference conducted by the Republic’s Multi Ministerial Task Force (MTF), MTF co-chair Gan Kim Yong says fully vaccinated people still can dine out with a limit of 5 people per group.
The new measures will take effect on Monday, July 19 and last till Aug 8.
As defined by the Ministry of Health, “an individual is considered fully-vaccinated two weeks after he or she has received two doses of Pfizer-BioNTech/ Comirnaty or Moderna vaccines.”
See more: Night spots-turned F&B joints to be suspended as 'KTV cluster' mushrooms
MOH added that unvaccinated individuals with a valid negative pre-event test (PET) result or recovered individuals are of similarly lower risk, and may also join in such groups of 5.
The government will give individual F&B establishments the flexibility to decide whether to introduce the vaccination-differentiated group sizes, given how they have different operating models and have varying abilities to check the status of dining-in individuals.
However, hawker centres, food courts and coffee shops tend to be free-seating. Due to this “more porous” setting and that they generally do not impose mandatory SafeEntry check-in, it would be very challenging to check the status of individuals before they seat themselves at a table.
As such, group sizes for these venues got to be limited back to two persons for hawker centres, food courts, and coffee shops as a default.
MOH also added that as there is no vaccine available for children below 12, there will be a concession for members of the same household to dine together with their unvaccinated children aged 12 years and below, but this whole group should not exceed 5 persons.
It pointed out that if the children are not from the same household, then they should constitute not more than half the dine-in group.
MOH summarised that the following individuals will be eligible to dine-in in a group of up to five persons in an F&B establishment.
a. A fully vaccinated person;
b. A person who has recovered from Covid-19 (within 270 days);
c. An unvaccinated person who has a valid negative pre event testing (PET) result for the duration of his dining-in; or
d. A child aged 12 years and below.
JSS extended due to measures
As a result of the measures, the Job Support Scheme will be extended to August 8, at a level of 10% for F&B establishments, gyms and performing arts organisations.
The Government will also extend the rental waivers and subsidies for fees for table-cleaning and centralised dishwashing services by one month for stallholders in centres managed by the National Environment Agency (NEA) or NEA-appointed operators.
