Singapore has reverted back to phase two “heightened alert” restrictions after the sovereign state recorded 182 new cases of community-transmitted COVID-19 on Tuesday – its highest daily number since early August 2020.
The spike in cases has been attributed to two primary sources – a local fishery port where it is believed infected crew had arrived on an Indonesian fishing boat, and from local KTVs.
Under the phase two restrictions, which override lighter restrictions announced just 24 hours earlier, Singapore will see social gatherings limited to two people rather than five with no more than two gatherings per day. The two-person limit applies to hotel staycations with the exception of families from the same household.
Restaurants and bars must offer takeaway services only and all live events and performances, including MICE, will have capacity cut from 250 to 100 with mandatory pre-event testing. Masks will also be mandatory at MICE events.
Likewise, capacity at shopping malls and on cruise ship has been cut from 50% to 25%, impacting both of Singapore’s integrated resort operators as well as cruise ships operator Genting Hong Kong, which launched “cruise to nowhere” holidays in November.
It is not clear what impact the restrictions have on casino capacities, although as of Wednesday morning Marina Bay Sands was still promoting its gaming floor as being open to people over the age of 21.
As reported by Inside Asian Gaming, both Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa were granted permission in June to increase capacity from two players per gaming table to four players. They were also allowed to open every slot machine for use but with only one player seated at each machine and social distancing measures in place in all areas of the gaming floor.
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