Singapore’s circuit breaker to end on Jun 1

Singapore will exit the circuit breaker period on Jun 1, but it will be done in three phases, announced authorities on Tuesday (May 19).

The three phases are called “safe reopening”, “safe transition” and “safe nation”.

“SAFE REOPENING”

Under the first phase, schools will reopen gradually, with a full resumption expected by Jun 10. Graduating cohorts from primary and secondary schools will attend classes daily, while the rest will rotate between attending school and home-based learning weekly.

For junior colleges and Millennia Institute, arrangements will be made to have only half of their students in school at any one time. Students from Institutes of Higher Learning will continue to have lectures online. However, they will return to their campus for practical and lab-based sessions.

For pre-schools, K1 and K2 children will return from Jun 2, while N1 and N2 children will return from Jun 8. Infant care and playgroups services in pre-schools will resume from Jun 10.

Social gatherings are still not allowed. However, an exception will be made for those visiting their parents or grandparents, which will be limited to two person from each household and one visit a day.

Parents can also drop off their children with their grandparents but must adhere to the same rules above.

“Children or grandchildren can visit their parents or grandparents. Grandparents and parents, please stay at home. Don’t go visiting your children, because we do want to keep you safe at home,” Minister of Health Gan Kim Yong said.

Siblings are not allowed to visit each other. Marriage solemnisations will be allowed to take place in-person but only 10 people can be present.

The same rule of 10 people is applicable to funerals and wakes as well.

The authorities also warned that the virus may spread among the community again, so people will need to continue wearing masks when they leave their house, and should only go out if needed.

The first phase is expected to last a few weeks. Singapore will only move into the second phase if the rate of community spread is “low and stable” and the situation at dormitories stay under control.

“SAFE TRANSITION”

In the second phase, people will be able to slowly resume their social activities. Businesses, such as tuition and enrichment centres, gyms and fitness studios can reopen.

Safe distancing measures will still be in place, while those who can work from home should continue to do so.

Small social gatherings, along with dining in at food and beverage outlets could be allowed too. This phase could last several months.

“SAFE NATION”

The final phase will see Singapore moving into a “new normal” until there is a vaccine.

While most social, cultural, religious and businesses gatherings should resume, limits will be placed on the gathering sizes.

The same goes for services and activities that require prolonged close contact, such as spa and massages, or pose significant crowd management risk in an enclosed space, such as cinemas, theatres, bars, pubs and nightclubs.

Commuters taking the public transport will have to wear masks and refrain from talking to others or on their mobile phones.

TRAVELLING

As for travel, the country will gradually reopen the borders with safeguards in place to allow Singaporeans who need to go overseas for essential activities and for foreigners to enter and transit through the country.

“We will do so in a careful manner with the necessary precautions and safeguards,” said the Ministry of Health (MOH), which added that the reopening of borders will be “assessed and implemented separately from the timing of the three broad phases of re-opening”.

“Singapore is currently exploring the possibility of piloting green lane arrangements with a few countries assessed to be at equivalent or lower risk of community transmission as Singapore, for which essential travel in limited numbers and with safeguards, could be conducted safely,” MOH added.

The expansion of these arrangements will be considered gradually as the COVID-19 situation globally improves.