Fully vaccinated individuals allowed to attend larger events: Lawrence Wong

Minister of Finance Lawrence Wong details how Singapore plans to ease its restrictions in the coming days.

Singapore is set to ease some of its restrictions against the spread of COVID-19 in the following days, as overall hospitalisation and intensive-care-unit cases remain low and stable, Minister of Finance Lawrence Wong said.

As of 10 August, Tuesday, fully vaccinated individuals will be allowed to gather and visit each other in groups of five.

“We will allow for larger event sizes if they are attended by only fully vaccinated persons too. Worship services, cinemas, MICE events, live performances, sports events can go up to 500 persons if they are attended by fully vaccinated persons. Wedding receptions can go up to 250 persons, fully vaccinated,” Wong said.

Fully vaccinated persons can also engage in higher-risk mask-off activities such as going to the gym and dining out in groups of up to five as long as they are all fully vaccinated.

Regardless of vaccination status, people can dine-in at hawker centres and coffee shops in a maximum group size of two people.

Entry approvals for fully vaccinated work pass holders and their dependants will resume.

Support measures for Phase Two (Heightened Alert) will continue until 18 August as previously announced.

From 19 August, if the pandemic does not worsen in Singapore, event sizes could grow larger.

“For event sizes, we are looking at up to 1,000 attendees from 500 to 1,000 fully vaccinated. The operating capacity of public venues like museums, libraries, and attractions and cruises, can be raised. Likewise, capacity limits for shopping malls can be raised,” Wong said.

Work-from-home requirements could also ease in the 19th, with 50% of workers allowed to return to the workplace.

From 20 August, more fully vaccinated travellers from certain countries can opt-out of serving quarantine at SHN facilities and instead do their mandatory 14-day stay-home notice at home or other suitable accommodations.

As of 1 October, all workers in the food and beverage industry, healthcare, eldercare, gyms, high-risk mask-off settings, border checkpoints, and settings with children 12 and below should be vaccinated. Those who are not vaccinated will have to undergo antigen rapid testing twice a week.

“When 80% of our population are fully vaccinated, we will move to the transition stage and allow further easing of measures. We are taking a controlled step by step approach in reopening,” Wong said.