ASEANews HEADLINES: COVID 19: SINGAPORE- S’pore to allow up to 5 to dine in from July 12, gathering size may go up to 8 at end-July with 50% vaccinated

SINGAPORE – Larger groups of five people will be allowed to dine in at eateries from next Monday (July 12) as Singapore reopens further following an improvement in its Covid-19 situation and as more residents get vaccinated.

Two-thirds of the population will have received at least the first dose of the vaccine by the end of Wednesday (July 6), and the multi-minstry task force on Covid-19 expects half of the population to be fully vaccinated by the end of the month.

Restrictions could be eased further when that milestone is reached and if the situation remains stable – for instance, the cap for social gatherings could be increased to eight, said the task force.

Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the task force, said wedding receptions for up to 250 people will also be allowed with pre-event testing from July 12, while gyms and fitness studios can conduct indoor sports and exercise classes for up to 50 people.

Working from home will remain the default arrangement, though social and recreational gatherings at the workplace will be allowed for up to five people, he said at a virtual press conference.

All eligible individuals in Singapore have now been offered vaccination. At the current rate, the task force expects half of the population to have two doses of vaccines around the week of July 26, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who also co-chairs the task force.