COVID-19 Phase Advisory

When do I need to wear a mask?

You need to wear a mask if you are indoors, while masks are optional if you are outdoors. Please see the FAQ on mask-wearing for more information on the wearing of masks.

Do I need to maintain 1m safe distancing from other individuals or groups?

You no longer need to maintain safe distancing between individuals or between groups.

How will the Government check and enforce the community safe management measures? What are the penalties for individuals who flout the rules? Who can serve these enforcement penalties?

These measures have been provided with the force of law and are enforceable across sectors and against individuals and businesses. This will be enforced strictly, for the protection of everyone.

Enforcement officers will be on the ground, and egregious breaking of these rules will lead to enforcement action under the Infectious Disease Act, the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act or other relevant laws. For instance, under the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act, the penalties for breaches are imprisonment for up to a term not exceeding 6 months or a fine not exceeding $10,000 or both, and for a second offence up to a term not exceeding 12 months or a fine not exceeding $20,000 or both.

There have been cases where frauds were acting as Safe Distancing Ambassadors. How do I verify if the enforcement officer is indeed appointed by the Government? Will I be expected to make payment for any penalties upfront?

Safe-Distancing Ambassadors are deployed by various government agencies to help and guide businesses and individuals to comply with the safe distancing measures. They do not impose fines.

Enforcement Officers will not collect fines on the spot, from individuals and businesses who have contravened these rules. The penalties for breaches will be issued to individuals or businesses in the form of composition letters which will state the relevant follow-up actions required.

What is allowed for weddings and solemnisations?

Please refer to the safe management measures and FAQs for marriage solemnisations and wedding receptions here.

What is allowed for funerals and wakes?

Please refer to the safe management measures  and FAQs for funerals and wakes here.

What are the settings with Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (SMMs)?

From 29 April 2022, VDS will be removed from all settings, except for:

a. Events with >500 participants at any one time;

b. Nightlife establishments where dancing among patrons is one of the intended activities; and

c. Food and beverage (F&B) establishments, including restaurants, coffee shops and hawker centres.

These are settings which are assessed to pose higher risks of transmission due to factors such as large crowds and unmasked activities. Please refer to the Vaccination-Differentiated SMMs (VDS) information sheet for more information.

Why is there a need to implement vaccination-differentiated SMMs in the first place?

The differentiated SMMs for vaccinated individuals have been implemented since 10 August 2021. We have eased measures for those who are fully vaccinated, because they have good protection against the infection and are at lower risk of becoming dangerously ill if infected with COVID-19.  Therefore, there is no need to have such strict measures applied to a vaccinated person or groups of vaccinated persons. Unvaccinated individuals would need to be more prudent in interacting with larger groups of people , which are higher risk.  Hence stricter measures are applied to them.

Unvaccinated children aged 12 years and below are currently eligible for vaccination-differentiated SMMs. Our focus now is to ensure our children are well protected by allowing those aged five to 11 years to be vaccinated using the paediatric doses of the Pfizer/BioNTech/Comirnaty COVID-19 vaccine. However, accompanying parent(s) should ensure that the children comply with other SMMs as children remain vulnerable to potential infection.

Why are unvaccinated individuals not allowed to dine-in at F&B establishments and participate in events with more than 500 participants?

In general, fully vaccinated individuals have good protection against severe illness, and are also less likely to infect others as compared to unvaccinated individuals. Unvaccinated individuals will however need to exercise tighter safe management measures to protect themselves and those around them.

Food and beverage (F&B) settings and events with a large number of attendees are settings which are assessed to pose higher risks of transmission due to factors such as large crowds and unmasked activities. Hence, while we have reduced the coverage of vaccination-differentiated SMMs (VDS), these settings continue to be subjected to VDS.

What are the details of vaccination-differentiated SMMs?

The following categories of individuals are allowed to enter premises or participate in activities where vaccination-differentiated SMMs are required:

a.            Fully vaccinated, i.e. has received the appropriate regimen of World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing (WHO EUL) vaccines and had their vaccination records ingested in MOH’s national IT systems.

b.            Recovered from COVID-19, i.e. 180 days starting from the day of first positive Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) or positive ART result obtained at approved test providers in Singapore; or a positive serology test result attributable to infection and not past vaccination.

c.             Children who are 12 years old and below, i.e. born in or after the year 2010

In addition, persons who are medically ineligible to receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, Sinovac/Sinopharm and Novavax/Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccines are eligible for the vaccination-differentiated SMMs.

For more details, please refer to the information sheet here.

Who are considered medically ineligible to receive mRNA COVID-19 vaccines under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP)?

Only the following persons are certified to be medically ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccines under the National Vaccination Programme (NVP):

a) Persons aged 18 years (based on date of birth) and above who were unable to complete the vaccination regime due to allergies or a previous severe adverse reaction to all NVP vaccines, that currently includes both of the following: the following: (1) either mRNA COVID-19 vaccines (Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty or Moderna/SpikeVax), (2) Sinovac-CoronaVac COVID-19 vaccine and (3) Novavax/Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine; or

b) Persons below 18 years of age who were unable to complete the vaccination regime due to allergies or a previous severe adverse reaction to a previous dose of a mRNA COVID-19 vaccine; or 

c)    Persons with/ under the following condition(s)/ treatment: 
         - Transplant within past 3 months; and/or
         - Aggressive immunotherapy; and/or
         - Active cancer on treatment.

(The above condition or treatment is time-limited and the medical ineligibility status will expire upon reaching the date indicated by the certifying doctor. The person may be further reviewed by their doctors as necessary.)

If I am medically ineligible for the COVID-19 vaccines under the  National Vaccination Programme (NVP), what document(s) do I need to show to be eligible for vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS)?

You may go back to the General Practitioner (GP) clinic, public or private healthcare institutions that diagnosed the allergy/ severe adverse reaction to get the certification or visit any GP clinic, public or private healthcare institutions requesting to be certified as medically ineligible, subject to meeting the criteria above.  You will be issued a standard doctor-certified memo which you can present along with a government-issued photo identification card to enter venues and participate in activities where VDS are implemented. Sample of the memo can be found in Annex B of https://go.gov.sg/vdsmminfo.

If you have specified medical conditions (transplant within last three months, on aggressive immunotherapy and active cancer treatment), we strongly recommend that you avoid places where you will be close contact with others or where the risk of exposure to infection is high. You are extremely vulnerable to severe adverse outcome if you get infected with COVID-19.  For your protection and safety, please discuss with your attending doctor when you would be able to get vaccinated.  Your attending doctor should also issue your memo indicating the grounds of your medical ineligibility.

To facilitate eligibility checks for VDS, TraceTogether and HealthHub app will be enhanced to display that you are “Exempted from Vaccination”.

I am experiencing high levels of stress during this period. Where can I seek help if needed?

Those with general anxiety or stress may call the National CARE Hotline (Tel: 6202-6868) for support.

Those experiencing marital or parenting stress may wish to contact CPH Online Counselling at www.cphonlinecounselling.sg

Live chat: Mon-Fri 9am-9pm

Email: Anytime, counsellor will respond within 3 working days

What are the Safe Management requirements for my company?

Details on the Safe Management measures for workplaces can be found at https://www.mom.gov.sg/covid-19/requirements-for-safe-management-measures and https://www.mom.gov.sg/covid-19/advisory-on-covid-19-vaccination-in-employment-settings

Sector-specific advisories can also be found at https://covid.gobusiness.gov.sg/safemanagement/sector/

MOH will continue to review the measures and adjust based on the evolving community situation.

All travellers are advised to check the entry requirements imposed by the countries/regions they intend to travel to. When overseas, all travellers should take all necessary precautions, observe good personal hygiene, monitor local developments, and heed the advice of local authorities. Those who are recently diagnosed or suspected of infection with COVID 19 should defer their travels if diagnosed within the last 7 days (for fully vaccinated persons) or 14 days (for non-fully vaccinated persons). Travellers who are elderly and have other health conditions which place them at higher risk of severe illness  are encouraged to defer their travels, and if travelling, to ensure that they are up-to-date with their vaccinations and boosters, and to take additional precautions (e.g. avoiding crowded locations and wearing a mask even if local regulations do not require them to do so). 

Fully vaccinated travellers from General Travel countries/regions are not subjected to Stay-Home Notice (SHN) on arrival. They must adhere to Vaccinated traveller conditions and travel health measures including testing requirements. Please refer to the SafeTravel website for the latest measures.

Residents of Singapore who are fully vaccinated  with vaccines authorised under the Pandemic Special Access Route (PSAR) by the Health Sciences Authority (HSA) or the World Health Organisation Emergency Use Listing (WHO-EUL) may travel overseas to General Travel countries/regions.  Fully vaccinated residents are encouraged to promptly schedule their booster shot(s) when they receive SMS reminders to do so, particularly if they are planning to travel overseas. 

Residents of Singapore who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated are advised to defer all forms of travel overseas until they are fully vaccinated, except for the following reasons:

a) If they are pursuing academic studies or professional qualifications overseas, for courses or examinations which require physical presence in the foreign educational institution ;

b) If they are taking on or returning to employment overseas, for employment opportunities which require physical presence overseas ;

c) For essential travel for business, official and work purposes under Green/Fast Lane arrangements;

d) For compassionate reasons (e.g. due to death of / critically ill family member);

e) To seek medical treatment which cannot be reasonably received in Singapore; or

f) To return to country of residence to attend to, or after attending to, legal/contractual obligations.

¹ These include (i) having any disease or taking medications which weaken the immune system, (ii) having had an organ transplant surgery before, (iii) having been diagnosed with cancer (including blood cancers) before, (iv) being on dialysis, (v) having disease affecting the heart, lungs, kidneys, liver or brain that required hospital admission in the last 6 months, or (vi) having been diagnosed with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) or Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS).
² Fully vaccinated individuals would have completed the primary series of a WHO EUL vaccine, with at least 14 days having elapsed since the last primary series dose. They should also have taken additional booster doses as recommended to them.
³ Students enrolled in local educational institutions may travel overseas to complete a compulsory course component or examination that cannot be completed locally. Students below the age of 18 may be accompanied by an adult. Mature students may travel overseas with their dependents who will be residing with them for the duration of their studies.
⁴ Residents of Singapore traveling to take on or return to employment overseas may travel with their dependents who will be residing with them for the duration of their employment.