October 17, 2020

Social distancing rules in Singapore and Hong Kong

By brit

People at Universal Studios Singapore last month. It is mandatory for everyone to wear a mask when they are outside their homes in Singapore. Visitors at Victoria Peak (far left) in July and an employee disinfecting a carousel at Ocean Park (left) la

Singapore and Hong Kong have adopted different social distancing norms to curb the Covid-19 pandemic. Here is a look at the rules implemented by the authorities at present. Any changes will be subject to future announcements.

Singapore’s rules

• It is mandatory for everyone to wear a mask when they are outside their homes. Only those engaging in strenuous exercise or eating and drinking can remove their masks. But they must mask up promptly when done.

• All individuals are required to keep a distance of at least 1m from one another in public.

• Social gatherings of up to five people are allowed, and they can be from different households. The number of visitors to a household is also capped at five. Households with more than five people can go out together, but they are not allowed to sit in groups bigger than five at food and beverage outlets.

• Shopping centres, F&B outlets and cinemas must have temperature checks at entrances. Nightclubs remain closed. The sale and consumption of liquor is not allowed at F&B outlets after 10.30pm. Cinemas have capacity limits. For instance, large cinema halls with more than 300 seats can admit up to 150 patrons.

• Places of interest can apply to scale up their capacity limits to 50 per cent, up from 25 per cent since they resumed operations on July 1. Attractions now also have online booking systems to control visitor numbers.

• The crowd limit at most places of worship at any one time is 100 people with segmented zones to reduce interactions. Religious classes are capped at 50 people.

• Penalties: Individuals have been fined $300 for flouting Covid-19 rules such as not wearing masks after eating and being in groups of more than five. F&B outlets have been ordered to close for 10 days and others fined up to $2,000 for breaching measures. Generally, those who break Covid-19 rules can be fined up to $10,000, jailed up to six months, or both. Repeat offenders’ penalties can be doubled.

Hong Kong’s rules till Oct 22

• It is mandatory to wear masks in public and on public transportation such as trains, buses and cabs. Face masks do not have to be worn in outdoor public places in country parks or when exercising. The penalty for breaching this rule is a fine of between HK$2,000 (S$350) and HK$5,000.

• Public gatherings continue to be capped at four people during this period. Offenders are liable to a maximum fine of HK$25,000 and imprisonment for six months. Those who take part in prohibited group gatherings may discharge liability for the offence by paying a fixed penalty of HK$2,000.

• Eateries and restaurants can offer dine-in services from 5am till midnight. There is a cap of four patrons per table, and tables have to be kept 1.5m apart. Eateries are to operate at 50 per cent capacity. Bars and pubs have reopened with two patrons per table allowed. Live performances and dancing are still not permitted. Masks have to be worn at all times within any restaurant, bar or pub except when the person is consuming food or drink. Patrons get their temperature taken before entering the premises.

• Amusement game centres, gyms, leisure venues such as bowling alleys and billiard halls, cinemas, party rooms, beauty and massage parlours, karaoke lounges and mahjong houses are open but general rules apply, including the mandatory wearing of masks. Cinema operations are capped at 75 per cent of the seating capacity. Tables at nightclubs are capped at two patrons and no live performances or dancing are permitted.

• Religious gatherings are allowed at a venue’s 50 per cent overall capacity.

• The government will review and tweak the measures as it sees fit on a weekly basis.

Claire Huang and Wong Shiying