Singapore Will Be Under A One-Month Lockdown, Starting Next Week

Singapore has just announced a series of heavy-handed measures including closing schools and workplaces to curb the spread of COVID-19.

Starting Tuesday, the majority of workplaces, except for essential sectors and services, will have to close. For schools, full online education will start on Wednesday.

PM Lee Hsien Loong announced these restrictions on Friday. The Singaporean government will also introduce stimulus measures for economic boosting next week.

This lockdown order came in answer for the increase of local transmission in the last few weeks.

The measures entail the following:

• Close all casinos and theme parks.
• The following establishments are allowed to remain open: hospitals, key banking services, markets, food establishments, supermarkets, clinics, and transport.
• Starting April 7, hawker centers, food courts, coffee shops, and food and beverage outlets can open but for takeaway only.
• The economic sectors that serve strategic roles ore are part of a global supply chain will remain open.
• Student care centers and preschools have to close but still can provide limited services for parents who have to work and cannot make alternative arrangements.

The Singaporean government will start distributing reusable masks on the 5^th of April and the public is advised to wear masks in public places.

According to Lawrence Wong, Singapore’s minister for national development, the rise of the number of cases is a very worrying trend. He also said that the measures will be in place for at least a month, with a potential of even longer duration if the compliance is poor.

So far, Singapore has had five people died of COVID-19 complications with more than 1,000 confirmed cases.

>>> India Lockdown Might Not Be Lifted Before September, Study Shows