Coronavirus: Singapore’s Latest Ease Of Restriction Goes Into Effect

Starting Monday, five people can share a table at Singapore’s restaurants, part of the latest easing of coronavirus restrictions.

With new virus case numbers staying low, the government last week said a short-lived limit of two people per table would be lifted and larger crowds would be allowed at events such as weddings.

Some restrictions had been reintroduced briefly after a slight jump in the number of cases in April.

Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong, wrote on Facebook that “Fast & Easy Tests” for the virus would be given to workers in higher-risk settings such as restaurants and gyms.

The Health Ministry on Monday announced 26 new cases of the virus.

Most of the city-state’s almost 63,000 cases were reported last year among migrant workers. The related death toll of 36 is one of the world’s lowest.

Around 2.3 million people in Singapore are fully vaccinated, according to the ministry, which is racing to meet the government’s target of inoculating two-thirds of the 5.7 million population by August 9, Singapore’s National Day.

The government, last month said it aimed to turn the pandemic into something much less threatening, like influenza, and said rather than monitoring the daily case count, it would focus on “outcomes” such as numbers in intensive care.

Singapore’s only pandemic lockdown ran from April to June last year, after which most domestic activities resumed in stages and the economy returned to growth.

Official estimates for the second-quarter gross domestic product are scheduled to be announced this week.