SINGAPORE – Singapore will begin slowly easing a month-long partial lockdown from next week after the curbs succeeded in stemming a coronavirus outbreak, said authorities today.
The city state has weathered the pandemic largely unscathed, but saw an uptick in local transmissions in recent weeks as new variants spread.
Fresh restrictions were introduced in mid-May, including a cap on the size of social gatherings at two, the closure of schools, and a ban on dine-in at restaurants.
With cases falling steadily, maximum sizes for gatherings will be lifted to five from Monday, and bigger groups will be allowed at events such as live performances.
If the situation remains under control, more restrictions will be lifted from June 21 – including a resumption of restaurant dine-ins, while people will be allowed to work out at gyms without masks on.
However, employees who can work from home must continue to do so.
Trade Minister Gan Kim Yong, a member of a government task force dealing with Covid-19, said the country’s outbreak is now “under control”.
“Over the last few weeks, the number of Covid-19 cases... has fallen progressively, fewer clusters are emerging and (they are) generally smaller clusters.”
Schools have been closed since last month amid fears that new variants are affecting youngsters more.
The outbreak led to the cancellation, for the second time, of a quarantine-free travel corridor with Hong Kong. Singapore said the plan will be reviewed again early next month.
At the start of the pandemic, the Southeast Asian republic saw sizeable outbreaks in crowded dormitories housing low-paid foreign workers, with tens of thousands infected.
But by global standards, its experience with the virus has been mild. Officials in the city of 5.7 million have reported about 62,000 cases so far, and 34 deaths. – AFP, June 10, 2021
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