SINGAPORE - Unvaccinated individuals will no longer be able to dine-in, go to shopping malls, or visit attractions from next Wednesday (Oct 13). The Ministry of Health said on Saturday (Oct 9) that this is a move to protect unvaccinated individuals in the community and to reduce the strain on the healthcare system. The ministry said that epidemiological investigations have identified food and beverage (F&B) settings such as hawker centres, retail establishments, and shopping centres as settings frequently visited by a significant proportion of Covid-19 positive cases, including those who are unvaccinated, and who later fell very sick. Currently, groups of up to two fully vaccinated people are allowed to dine in, and children under the age of 12, recovered individuals, and unvaccinated people with a valid negative pre-event test (PET) result can be included in the group of two. The new rules, which is an expansion of the current set of rules that will kick in on Oct 13, would mean that only groups of up to two fully vaccinated people will be allowed to dine in at hawker centres or coffeeshops, MOH said. "Individuals who do not meet the above criteria can still buy takeaway food," it added. Large, standalone supermarkets are exempted from this requirement, MOH said. More on this topic Related Story S'pore must press on with strategy of living with Covid-19 and not be paralysed by fear: PM Lee Related Story Covid-19 quarantine orders scrapped, simpler rules to be rolled out in Singapore from Oct 11
SINGAPORE - Police will be charging 35 people aged between 17 and 34 who were caught in an unlicensed KTV operating at a unit within Tradehub 21 at Boon Lay Way. They will be charged in court on Wednesday (Sept 22) for violating restrictions on leaving their place of residence. In a statement on Tuesday, police said 44 persons were found in the unit on Jan 1 this year. Public entertainment and liquor were allegedly provided. Singapore had entered phase 3 restrictions on Dec 28 last year, but measures then meant only up to eight persons were allowed for social gatherings. During the period, a limited number of nightlife establishments were allowed to reopen with Covid-19 safety measures. These measures included ensuring customers test negative before entering, and the wearing of masks at all times except while eating and drinking. Police on Tuesday said a 25-year-old man, who was part of the group, has been served a notice of composition, which likely entails a fine. They are currently investigating the remaining eight persons, aged 20 to 27. Those found guilty of not complying with safe distancing measures can be fined up to $10,000, jailed for up to six months, or both.
SINGAPORE - The multi-ministry task force tackling the pandemic announced on Tuesday (July 20) that all indoor, mask-off sports and exercise activities and classes will cease from Thursday. Mask-off activities will be allowed outdoors, but class sizes are limited to just two people. Mask-on activities - whether indoor or outdoor - may proceed in classes of up to 30 people in groups of up to two people, subject to the venue's capacity limit and safe distancing requirements. The tightened measures mark a return to Phase Two (Heightened Alert) and will last till Aug 18. Here is a set of frequently asked questions about the latest restrictions in the sports sector answered by national agency Sport Singapore: Q: What is the maximum number of people who can exercise in a group? A: From July 22 to Aug 18, sport and physical activities must be confined to groups of no more than two individuals. The physical distancing of two metres is required between individuals except when the nature of the sport does not permit so. A three-metre distance is to be maintained between groups of up to two individuals each. Q: Can there be large group sport and physical activities classes? A: For indoor organised programmes and classes, only mask-on activities can take place in multiple groups of two, up to 30 participants (including the instructor) or the capacity limit of the venue, whichever is lower. For outdoor organised programmes and classes, multiple groups of two are allowed, up to 30 participants or the capacity limit of the venue, whichever is lower, if the activity is of low intensity with masks on at all times. If the activity is of high intensity where masks have to be removed, only two persons are allowed (including the instructor or coach) and there can be no multiple groups of two. For indoor and outdoor programmes, the groups of two are not to intermingle before, during and after the class, and must remain three metres apart. Q: Will I be allowed to swim? A: Yes, you are allowed to swim outdoors as an individual or in a group of no more than two persons, including yourself. Q: Will I be allowed to play golf in a four-ball flight? A: You are allowed to golf in a four-ball flight in two groups of two persons with masks on and keeping a three-metre distance between the two groups at all times. If masks are unable to be worn throughout, only a two-ball flight is allowed. Q: Will I be allowed to play sports such as badminton, basketball and table tennis? A: You are allowed to play sports such as badminton, basketball and table tennis in a group of no more than two persons. Masks must be worn at all times when playing sports indoors. Masks may be taken off during strenuous activity outdoors, in a group of no more than two persons only. Q: What sport and physical activities are allowed indoors? A: Only low-intensity sport and physical activities with masks on at all times are allowed at indoor sport and recreation facilities. The facilities include gyms and fitness/exercise/dance studios, including those operated by commercial enterprises, country clubs, golf clubs, private apartments, condominiums and charities. The activity has to cease immediately if any participant removes his or her mask. Q: What indoor facilities are to be closed and for how long? A: From July 22 to Aug 18, all indoor facilities including gyms and fitness studios, sports halls, indoor swimming pools, squash courts, are to close, unless they only offer low-intensity physical activities, sport and exercises where all participants and instructors are wearing masks at all times, and where there is no sharing or supply of any common equipment. Common equipment would include climbing walls, aerial exercise equipment, resistance training weights and other similar equipment. Participants, instructors and staff also have to adhere to a more stringent set of safe management measures (SMMs). No such facility will be allowed to offer weight, strength or resistance training of any form, and/or provide equipment for such training, as these are associated with strenuous activities. More on this topic Related Story Indoor mask-off sports and exercise activities to cease from July 22 Related Story Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics Other indoor facilities similar to gym and studio settings that remain in operation are to modify their activities to be in line with the tighter SMMs. For more details, visit https://www.myactivesg.com/Facilities/Sport-Centres/Facilities-Closure Q: Are mass participation sports events allowed to proceed? A: Mass runs, open-water swims, cycling and triathlon events can proceed with up to 50 participants without the need for pre-event testing. With pre-event testing, up to 100 participants (in waves of up to 50 persons) are allowed per session, with different sessions adequately separated by time to avoid the congregation of participants at the venue and its vicinity. At this juncture, mass participation sport events will not be allowed to accommodate more than 100 participants per session and will not be allowed to have invited spectators. Organisers are to put in place measures to prevent the spontaneous gathering of onlookers for such events. 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SINGAPORE - Amid the Covid-19 outbreak, a restaurant owner unlawfully supplied alcoholic drinks and allowed 10 people to sit at the same table in the wee hours last September. At least six other people were sitting together at another table in the restaurant, which had its shutters closed, the court heard. A maximum of five people were allowed to gather at the time. Chinese national Sun Wenqian, now 39, was fined $9,000 on Thursday (July 15) after he admitted to supplying alcoholic drinks at the Sims Avenue restaurant, even though he was not licensed to do so. The Singapore permanent resident also admitted to an offence under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act. Around 11.45pm on Sept 19 last year, an unknown man called the police stating that there were many people inside the Mala Jiang Hu restaurant and they were not practising social distancing. Senior Staff Sergeant Loi Jun Fengand two of his colleagues arrived at the eatery at around 2.15am the next day and found its shutters closed. Deputy Public Prosecutor Joshua Phang said: "Loi and the accompanying officers then entered the restaurant to conduct a check and found two rooms within the restaurant with patrons inside, eating and drinking. "The first room contained at least six patrons sitting together at a table and having a meal. The second room contained 10 patrons sitting together at a round table and having a meal, with four bottles of Heineken beer, and several glasses of beer, on the table." The DPP said that Sun had instructed staff members to sell alcoholic drinks to customers even though he did not have the necessary licence. On Thursday, the prosecutor urged the court to sentence him to a fine of $10,000, stressing that the breaches were concealed and were difficult to detect. DPP Phang said: "Despite being the restaurant owner and bearing the responsibility to prevent such breaches, the accused failed to ensure that no more than five guests would gather at one time in each room." First-time offenders who breach laws under the Covid-19 (Temporary Measures) Act can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to $10,000. Repeat offenders can be jailed for up to a year and fined up to $20,000. More on this topic Related Story The Banana Leaf Apolo fined $10,000 for Covid-19 breaches when hosting birthday party Related Story 20 foreign women nabbed for suspected involvement in vice activities at 3 KTV lounges
SINGAPORE - Organised programmes and classes for low-intensity activities will have to carry out their sessions in groups of two from Sunday (May 16) to June 13 - when Phase 2 (heightened alert) kicks in - said Sport Singapore (SportSG) in its latest advisory that was issued on Friday night. This is in line with the new ruling that was introduced by the multi-ministry taskforce (MTF) on Friday that restricts social gatherings to groups of two instead of five. Multiple groups of two will be allowed for these classes, with a maximum of 30 participants. The different groups are not allowed to intermingle and have to be 3m apart. An additional service provider such as an instructor or a coach may guide the group. However, for high-intensity outdoor activities such as swimming, where masks have to be removed, only two people are allowed and there can be no multiple groups of two. This includes the coach or instructor. The latest advisory comes after the initial tightening of measures last week that allowed only low-intensity physical activities such as yoga and pilates to take place at public and private gyms and fitness studios from May 8-30. The updated measures supersede the guidelines stated in the earlier advisory. Under the new guidelines, the occupancy limit for sports facilities will be reduced to one person per 16 sq m from one person per 10 sq m, capped at 50 people. Indoor "high-risk environments", which include indoor public and private gyms and fitness, exercise and dance studios, will remain closed unless they only offer low-intensity physical activities. These facilities will not be allowed to offer weight, strength or resistance training of any form, and/or provide equipment for such training. Mass participation sport events will remain suspended and all other sport events will have to be approved before proceeding. Those that can continue will have to proceed without spectators. Following Friday's MTF announcement of the stricter measures, Singapore Hockey Federation (SHF) decided to suspend all national team training until further notice. SportSG has advised national sports associations that are organising competitions and tournaments related to qualifications for international competitions for national athletes to approach it for discussion. SHF president Mathavan Devadas said: "We don't want to have a situation where we have an activity that exposes the athletes. "I feel very sad for the athletes because they've been really positive towards everything, but I remain confident that the enthusiasm we saw last year will remain and once we get over this, they will come in numbers again." The 61-year-old added that the national coaches will come up with a programme that players can follow individually, although he acknowledged that training with a stick and ball will be difficult. More on this topic Related Story SportSG sets aside $18 million to help gyms and studios, following stricter Covid-19 measures Related Story Gym owners in S'pore worry about rental costs, wages as studios close due to tighter Covid-19 curbs While national women's captain Ho Puay Ling had expected this because of the recent spike in community cases, she admitted that it was slightly disappointing to return to home-based training again after last year's circuit breaker. During the circuit breaker, the team had gym sessions over Zoom every one to two weeks, as well as a weekly running programme they had to follow. Ho, 27, said: "Last year it was quite hard (to stay motivated) but now that it's happening again, I would say a lot of us will be better at coping with the new norm. Of course it's sad that there's no more hands-on training and going to see our teammates and play hockey physically." The Singapore Premier League, the country's only professional sports league, will continue to be played behind closed doors, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) announced in its statement on Friday. All players and officials are mandatorily swab-tested. Strict protocols will continue to be in place, including zonal demarcation before and after matches, to ensure the safety and health of all stakeholders. FAS' grassroots and amateur competitions and programmes, however, will be suspended indefinitely. READ NEXT: What are the new Covid-19 rules in S'pore from May 16? 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LONDON • Some English Premier League (EPL) clubs can look forward to welcoming back spectators in highly limited numbers next month for the first time since March, following an announcement by the British government on Monday. Up to 4,000 people can return to outdoor sports stadiums in parts of England classified as being at low risk from Covid-19 from Dec 2, permitting the resumption of attendance at football, rugby and racecourses among other sports. The crowd ceiling will be set at 4,000 or half the stadium capacity, whichever is lower, in the lowest-risk "tier one" parts of the country once a stricter lockdown due to the pandemic ends, the government said. In "tier two" areas, the limit will be 2,000 outdoors, or half the capacity, it said. Only home fans will be permitted, to prevent unnecessary travel on public transport by opposing fans. In the highest "tier three" regions where Covid-19 remains acute, no fans will be allowed. A few pilot events have been held with spectators, such as a cricket match at The Oval, while Brighton hosted Chelsea before this season's Premier League got underway. However, England's football and rugby leagues, and horse racing venues, have not allowed spectators since the first lockdown began in March. The government said it would spell out which regions will sit in which tier tomorrow, based on the latest weekly Covid data. The EPL said on Monday that eight people had returned positive results in its latest round of Covid-19 tests conducted on players and staff last week. A total of 76 people have been diagnosed with the virus in 12 rounds of testing this season. Prior to the current lockdown, most of the country including London, was in tier two. But three of the biggest Premier League clubs - Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City - are located in tier three areas, so it remains to be seen whether they will be allowed to admit fans after Dec 2. EPL chiefs welcomed the news, while making it clear only a return to bigger crowds will ease the sport's financial problems. "Our ambition remains to work with Government to increase attendance to more substantial levels," it added in a statement, noting that clubs have a "proven track record of achieving high-biosecurity standards". The Football League, which governs the three divisions below the top flight, said: "While today's news is subject to regional restrictions, it is an important step in achieving a return to normal, alongside it being crucial to addressing the significant revenue gap left by a lack of spectators and other revenue streams." AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS
Strict safety protocols will be implemented on match days when the Singapore Premier League (SPL) resumes on Saturday after a suspension of more than 200 days due to the coronavirus pandemic. At a virtual meeting with officials from the nine clubs yesterday, the Football Association of Singapore (FAS) disclosed these measures - as advised by the Health Promotion Board, Ministry of Health (MOH) and Sport Singapore. On Saturday, Tampines Rovers will host Hougang United at Our Tampines Hub, while Tanjong Pagar take on Balestier Khalsa at Jurong East Stadium. Both games will kick off at 5.30pm behind closed doors with just under 100 people, including players, officials, medical and match day staff, and broadcast and media workers, allowed inside. In order to avoid congregation at any point at the stadiums, entry to the venues will be staggered across a five-hour period before kick-off. Similarly, departure after the match will also be spread over a one-hour period after the final whistle. Five zones - broadcasting, stands (staggered areas in spectator stands), entrance, official area (tunnel, dressing room) and field of play - are also established at stadiums, where access will be controlled to prevent intermingling. Except for players and match officials who are in action during the game or warm-up, everyone else are to wear masks while they are in the stadiums. While all 223 local-based players and match officials tested negative for Covid-19 on Oct 4, they will undergo swab tests every two weeks. Anyone who tests positive from this group will have to immediately self-isolate and follow the standard operating procedures established by MOH. All clubs are required to complete and submit declaration forms to FAS for all players, coaches and officials a day before a match. They will have to check their temperature twice - two days and one day before the match - and anyone with a temperature of 38 deg C or higher will not be allowed to participate. More on this topic Related Story Football: Singapore Premier League to restart on Oct 17, swab tests for 223 players and officials all negative Related Story Football: Uncertainty over champions Brunei DPMM's participation in S'pore Premier League restart Likewise, anyone who has travelled out of Singapore 14 days before a match, or who has been in contact with anyone who is Covid-19 positive or serving a stay-home notice, will also be barred. FAS chief of the general secretary's office Gerard Christopher said: "It is imperative that every single person involved on match days upon the SPL's resumption strictly adheres to these protocols, as they are necessary in order to safeguard the well-being of everyone. What's new MATCH-DAY PROTOCOLS • Just under 100 essential people - including players, officials, medical staff, and broadcast and media workers - are allowed in the stadiums • Staggered entry across a five-hour period before kick-off; controlled departure within an hour after final whistle • Masks to be worn by everyone except players and match officials who are in action during the game or warm-up • Anyone with a temperature of 38 deg C or higher will not be allowed to participate • Anyone who has travelled out of Singapore 14 days before a match, or who has been in contact with anyone who is Covid-19 positive or serving a stay-home notice, will be barred. LAWS OF THE GAME AMENDMENTS • Teams may make a maximum of five substitutions, up from three • Outside of the half-time break, teams are allowed a maximum of three substitution windows during the first and second halves • Mandatory water breaks - each lasting 60 seconds - will take place in the 25th and 70th minutes; players are to drink from personalised bottles "As the first local professional league competition to be allowed to resume, the FAS recognises the responsibility it bears to ensure that the league is able to function as smoothly and safely as possible, with the inherent safety measures." In addition, the FAS also told the clubs about several amendments made to the laws of the game for the rest of the SPL season which are aligned with leagues across the world. One key change is that the maximum number of substitutions teams can make during a game has been increased from three to five. Outside of the half-time break, teams will be allowed a maximum of three substitution windows during the first and second halves. Mandatory water breaks will also be introduced to help players as they return to the full rigours of action after a hiatus of almost seven months. The one-minute breaks will take place in the 25th and 70th minutes, and players are to drink from personalised bottles. Geylang International coach Noor Ali feels the measures are adequate in ensuring a safe return to the SPL. More on this topic Related Story October return of Singapore Premier League, One Championship crucial to next year's calendar Related Story Coronavirus microsite: Get latest updates, videos and graphics He added: "We are resuming the league with a preseason that is not normal. The players may be physically fit, but not match fit as we did not have any friendly matches." The increase in the number of substitutions is important to reduce the possibility of injuries in "a fast and furious season", particularly in the first round, he said. "It will be a different experience and it will be interesting to see the effects on each club and how each club adapt to the changes." Due to the coronavirus-enforced break, the SPL season will be shortened from three rounds of matches to two rounds, while the Singapore Cup has been cancelled.