Office workers walk for lunch break at Raffles Place financial business district in Singapore on January 4, 2022.
Roslan Rahman | AFP | Getty Images
SINGAPORE — Singapore will ease most of its Covid restrictions, including outdoor mask mandates, from March 29, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong announced on Thursday.
Limits on social gatherings will be doubled from five to 10, more employees will be able to return to the office and capacity limits for large events will be increased, Lee said in a national address.
Masks will still be required indoors and a safe distance of 1 meter between groups in settings without a mask will still be required.
During the pandemic, Singapore has been more consistent and strict on measures like mask requirements and traceability than the rest of the world.
Lee also said Singapore will “drastically streamline” testing and quarantine requirements and make it easier to travel abroad – “almost like before Covid-19”.
“Resume more normal life, enjoy larger gatherings of family and friends, go outside without masks, or meet up with loved ones abroad,” Lee said. “But don’t throw all caution to the wind.”
He called for compliance with the relaxed rules and regular testing.
border measures
Regarding travel restrictions and measures, all fully vaccinated travelers will no longer require testing upon arrival in Singapore from April 1, Transport Secretary S. Iswaran told a news conference.
Pre-departure testing is still required.
The Omicron wave in Singapore appears to have peaked. New daily cases stood at 8,940 on Wednesday, down from a record 26,032 infections on February 22.
As of Tuesday, 92% of the population had received two shots as part of the national immunization program, while 71% had received booster shots.
The majority of those infected in Singapore have mild or no symptoms. About 0.3% required supplemental oxygen in the past 28 days and 0.04% were in the ICU.