Group sizes to double to 10, masks optional when outdoors, 75% can return to office from 29 March 2022
Alcohol sale and consumption at F&B outlets after 10.30pm allowed from 29 March 2022
Singapore-Malaysia land border to reopen on 1 April 2022
All vaccinated travellers can enter Singapore without quarantine from 1 April 2022, no need for VTL flights
Singapore has reached major COVID-19 milestone, but will not take 'Freedom Day' approach: PM Lee Hsien Loong
By Lim Yan Liang, Assistant Political Editor, The Straits Times, 24 Mar 2022
Singapore will significantly ease its current pandemic restrictions and live with Covid-19 as it has reached a major milestone in battling the virus, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said on Thursday (March 24).
But the changes to Covid-19 rules stop short of a complete opening up, and the Republic will maintain its measured approach to dealing with the virus that has served it well since the pandemic began, PM Lee said.
He also urged Singaporeans to be psychologically prepared "for more twists and turns ahead".
Major changes that will take effect next Tuesday (March 29) include masks becoming optional outdoors, doubling maximum group sizes to 10 people, allowing 75 per cent of employees to return to workplaces, and a substantial easing of border restrictions now that the Omicron wave is well under control, PM Lee said in his live broadcast to the nation.
He noted that countries that have taken a "Freedom Day" approach - where most or all restrictions are lifted all at once - have seen Covid-19 cases rise, and with that an attendant rise in deaths.
"They have declared the pandemic over, relaxed all restrictions at once. Now they are anxiously watching their infection and mortality numbers rising rapidly again," he said.
"We are choosing to maintain our measured approach, which has served us well over the past two years."
After next week's easing, the Government will wait for the situation to stabilise before deciding on its next moves.
If all goes well, Singapore will ease up further, PM Lee said, as he cautioned against thinking that it will be a straight path to a new normal from here.
"With more interactions, we too may see another wave of cases, and Omicron will not be the last variant we encounter," he said.
While the hope is that new variants of the virus will become progressively milder and more flu-like, it is also possible that more aggressive and dangerous mutants will surface, just like Delta did, he added.
If that happens, Singapore may have to backtrack and tighten up restrictions again, he said.
"We cannot rule this out, even though we hope it will not be necessary," said PM Lee. "But whatever happens, we now have the knowledge and the means to keep everyone safe."
This could be another booster jab, or administering an updated vaccine, he said.
While Singapore has come a long way in its fight against Covid-19, the country is not yet at the finish line, he added.
"Key to our response has been the trust that Singaporeans have placed in your government, in the medical authorities, and in each other," he said.
Singaporeans have kept faith with one another throughout this journey, and this solidarity remains crucial as the country tackles fresh challenges, he added.
PM Lee urged everyone to take the latest announcements in the right spirit, and resume more normal lives, such as enjoying larger gatherings, going outdoors without masks, or reuniting with loved ones abroad.
But do not throw all caution to the wind, he said.
"Each one of us must still play our part. Comply with the revised safe management measures. If you feel ill, test yourself. If you test positive, isolate yourself at home. If you test negative, and decide to go out, please wear a mask to protect others, even outdoors, just in case," he said.
"Let us all continue to exercise personal and social responsibility to keep ourselves well, to keep others safe, and to avoid adding to the burden on our healthcare workers.
"That way, even when new problems arise, we stand a much better chance of keeping things under control and staying on the path to a new normal."
Group sizes to double to 10, masks optional when outdoors, 75% can return to office from 29 March 2022: PM Lee
By Justin Ong, Political Correspondent, The Straits Times, 24 Mar 2022
Group size limits will go up to 10 people, and masks will no longer be mandatory in outdoor settings from Tuesday (March 29), as part of what Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong called a decisive but measured step forward towards living with Covid-19.
Up to 75 per cent of employees who can work from home will be allowed to return to their workplaces. And capacity limits for larger events and settings with more than 1,000 people will be increased to 75 per cent as well.
In a national address on Thursday (March 24) outlining changes to safe management measures (SMMs), PM Lee announced that with the risk of outdoor transmission significantly lower, wearing masks outdoors will become optional - but will remain mandatory indoors.
The permissible group size will be doubled from the current five people to 10.
“After this major step, we will wait a while to let the situation stabilise,” said PM Lee. “If all goes well, we will ease up further. But we should also be psychologically prepared for more twists and turns ahead.”
He noted that there may yet be another wave of cases, that the virus would continue to evolve, and that a backtracking on restrictions cannot be ruled out.
Still, PM Lee explained that Singapore was now in a position to ease restrictions, having "reached a major milestone" in its Covid-19 journey.
He pointed to high vaccination levels - about 95 per cent of the eligible population in Singapore have completed the full vaccination regimen, and 71 per cent of the total population have received a booster shot.
The wave of cases caused by the Omicron variant has crested and is now subsiding, he added, noting that the population also has stronger immunity now, with many already exposed to - and recovered from - the virus.
Covid-19 case numbers have dipped gradually from more than 24,000 on March 1 to around 10,000 in recent days.
"Crucially, our healthcare system remains resilient," said PM Lee. "It was under considerable stress at the peak of the Omicron wave, but it held up. The load is still heavy, but the pressure is now easing."
He said that in judging how far and fast to ease restrictions, the authorities were also mindful not to stress healthcare workers and the system to "breaking point".
"We must not place an impossible burden on the healthcare workers, and endanger many Covid-19 and non-Covid-19 patients who urgently need treatment," said PM Lee.
"At the same time, we must weigh the cost of stringent SMMs on businesses and the economy, and their impact on children needing to learn, youth yearning to interact, families seeking to bond, and communities striving to connect.
"Taking all things into consideration, we believe that we are now ready to take a decisive step forward towards living with Covid-19."
PM Lee earlier acknowledged that Singapore's progress in its battle against the pandemic was achieved only through the collective effort of the people, with businesses and essential workers also chipping in to keep the economy and social services going.
But he reserved the most praise for healthcare workers and their "tremendous sacrifices, at a heavy personal cost".
"Pulling long shifts, day after day, week after week, since the start of the pandemic; returning to work on rest days to cover for colleagues who caught the virus; putting up with all the safety measures at the hospitals; risking exposure as you cared for infected patients," PM Lee said.
"Because of you, we have maintained some semblance of normalcy in the past two years.
"Some countries have seen mass resignations of healthcare workers. But our healthcare team, doctors and nurses stayed at their posts and kept on performing their duties," he added.
"So to our healthcare and front-line workers, from the bottom of my heart, and on behalf of a grateful nation, I want to say: Thank you!"
Singapore's healthcare system held up despite considerable stress from Omicron: PM Lee
By Joyce Teo, Senior Health Correspondent, The Straits Times, 24 Mar 2022
Singapore's healthcare system held up despite being under considerable stress at the peak of the Omicron wave, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said at a national address on Thursday (March 24).
"The load is still heavy, but the pressure is easing," added Mr Lee, as he thanked healthcare workers for their "tremendous sacrifices, at a heavy personal cost".
At a press conference by the multi-ministry task force tackling Covid-19, held after PM Lee's address, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung noted that the easing of the Omicron wave has led to fewer absent healthcare workers and Covid-19 patients needing hospitalisation, though hospitals remain very busy managing non-Covid-19 patients.
He said the Covid-19-related absentee rate among healthcare workers has declined from 2.7 per cent in early March to about 2 per cent now.
Covid-19 cases in intensive care units "remain very manageable, below 30 cases as of last night", he added.
"The strain, however, is mostly felt at the emergency departments, with many patients seeking hospital care on a daily basis," said Mr Ong, noting that the number is decreasing very gradually, with the vast majority being non-Covid-19 patients.
Most of them have chronic illnesses that may not have been closely monitored during the pandemic as healthcare workers focused on fighting Covid-19, he added.
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