Explainer | Singapore’s ‘decisive’ living with Covid-19 move: all you need to know
- From masks off outdoors to no on-arrival testing for vaccinated travellers, Singapore from next week will ease or ditch a slew of pandemic-era curbs
- Alcohol can be served after 10.30pm again and live performances are set to make a return – but not all workers will be as excited about a return to the office
From next week, the highly-vaccinated nation – 95 per cent of eligible people have been double-jabbed; with 71 per cent having had a booster – will join the ranks of countries across the world that now allow, or are taking steps to allow, vaccinated travellers to enter quarantine free with a negative pre-departure test.
Lee took pains to point out that the city state of 5.45 million, which is still seeing nearly 10,000 cases a day on average, was stopping short of a “complete opening up”. “We remain watchful because Covid-19 may bring further surprises,” he said.
Still, it represents one of the most major relaxations of restrictions in Asia and stands in stark contrast to Hong Kong’s approach. Here are some of the key changes:
Masks off outdoors
Starting on Tuesday next week, Singapore residents do not need to wear masks outdoors. Explaining the rule change in a televised national address on Thursday, Lee said the risk of outdoor transmission was “significantly lower”. “But indoors, masks will still be mandatory,” he said.
