Between 16 February to 4 March 2022, certain Safe Management Measures (SMM) will be revised so that we can transit into living with the Omicron Variant.
These new simplified COVID-19 rules will provide greater clarity for individuals and businesses. This also allows the country to focus on SMMs that matter the most.
Here are four things that businesses should know about the new COVID-19 rules.
#1 Fewer Groups Will Be Required To Undergo Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) Regime
From 18 February 2022, the Rostered Routine Testing (RRT) Regime will only apply to three groups of settings.
The first group is those with settings that cater to vulnerable groups such as the healthcare sector and eldercare sector.
The second group that the RRT regime applies to are settings that cater to children below the age of 5 years, that includes the staff and third-party vendors in preschools, Early Intervention centres and Private Education Institutions with children less than 5 years old.
The final group that needs to carry on with the RRT regime are selected essential services sectors. These sectors will be informed by their respective Sector Lead agencies via sector-specific communications at a later date.
As for the other groups that are currently on RRT they will no longer be required to continue with the testing from 18 February 2022. They are, however, encouraged to continue with regular self-testing and may use the existing Swab Registration System (SRS) to upload their RRT test results.
Read Also: 6 Things To Note About The Fast and Easy Testing (FET) For Employees (According to MOH)
#2 Seven Updates To Community Safe Management Measures
The following seven safe management measures (SMM) have been simplified for better understanding and compliance and will take effect from 25 February 2022 (unless otherwise stated.)
i. Same Group Size Limit
The permissible group size for social gatherings will remain at 5 persons. However, for households the maximum unique visitors will be adjusted from 5 persons per day to 5 persons at any one time.
ii. No Change On Mask Wearing
There is no change to the mask-wearing requirement and will continue to be required.
iii. New Workplace Requirements
There is no change to the current practice of having no more than 50% of the employees who can work from home return to the office.
However, for workers who have their masks on, there is no need to maintain a 1 metre safe distancein the workplace. For example, there is no need to cross-out alternate seats or urinals in the men’s toilets.
Furthermore, social gatherings at workplaces can resume with up to 5 persons at each gathering.
Lastly, there will be no restrictions on cross-deployment of employees across workplaces, though companies may practice it for their own business continuity reasons.
iv. Streamlined Safe Distancing Rules
As mentioned above, there is no need to adhere to the safe distancing rules if the individuals or groups are in an all-mask-on setting.
However, for all mask-off settings, a single safe distance of 1 metre must continue to be maintained.
v. Increased Capacity Limits
The fixed limits currently placed based on event types such as weddings, business events and media conferences will now be based on the capacity of the venue from 4 March 2022.
However, for large events and settings that includes MICE and large work-related events the limit is set at 1,000 pax.
In short,
– For small settings or events that has lesser or equal to 1,000 pax, there will be no capacity limit imposed.
– For larger settings or events of more than 1,000 pax and requires mask-on, they would be subjected to a 50% capacity limit.
For mask-off events, they are also required to comply with the 1 metre safe distancing requirement and the 5-person per group limit.
vi. Resuming Sports Activities
All sports can proceed with up to 30 fully vaccinated persons from 25 February 2022 at supervised/operated sports facilities with the prevailing SMMs in place.
vii. No Restriction On VDS For Unvaccinated Children
Unvaccinated children aged 12 years and below do not have to be from the same household for them to be part of a group entering or participating in Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) activities. Examples of some of these activities include dining-in at F&B establishments – e.g. hawker centres and coffeeshops and mask-off arts classes.
Read Also: Pre-Event Testing (PET): How Much Does it Cost and Which Businesses Need to Implement it?
#3 New Border Measures
The countries under the existing Categories II, III, and IV will be combined into a single General Travel category to simplify the following five border measures which will take effect from 21 February 2022, 2359:
– Travel history requirements will be reduced from 14 days to 7 days;
– SNH duration will be standardised to 7 days across all country/region categories;
– Enhanced testing regime for travellers arriving on VTLs will cease;
– VTL and Category I travellers will continue to enjoy quarantine-free border measures and will no longer need to perform PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction) test. Instead, they will need to take a supervised self-swab within 24 hours from their entry into Singapore
– Vaccinated Long-Term Pass Holders except Work Permit holders will no longer need to obtain a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP). However, they must comply with border health measures on entry.
#4 Expansion Of Existing Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)
Air Travel
Starting from 22 February 2022, 1000hrs, VTP applications for Hong Kong, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be launched for travel from 25 February 2022.
Sea Travel
Additionally, quarantine-free sea travel between Singapore and Indonesia islands (Bintan and Batam) will open for VTP applications on 22 February 2022, 1000hrs and the first ferry trip taking place on 25 February 2022.
Land Travel
The previously reduced quota (by 50%) for VTL (Land), will be fully restored from 22 February 2022. But sales for additional bus tickets for travel from 22 February 2022 will start with immediate effect.
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