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REACH 331 - What are your views on the current COVID-19 situation? How do you feel about the easing of COVID-19 safe management measures?

(SK)

28 Mar 2022 (10am - 7pm)

REACH

[9:49 am, 28/03/2022] +REACH:Dear Contributors,

Welcome back! 😊

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The topic will be posted shortly.

Thank you

Megan 😊

[10:00 am, 28/03/2022] +REACH:📢 Topic 📢

Daily Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations in Singapore has fallen to 4,848 and 694 respectively on Sunday (March 27), down from 6,434 cases and 731 hospitalisation cases on Saturday. The number of new cases is the lowest since Feb 3, which had 4,297 cases.

As Singapore moves towards a new phase of living with Covid-19, there will be key changes to safety-management measures implemented from tomorrow (29 March).

💬 What are your views on the current COVID-19 situation? How do you feel about the easing of COVID-19 safe management measures?

Some of the changes include:

➡️Gatherings will be doubled from the current five persons to 10 people for mask-off activities. The maximum number of unique visitors per household will also be adjusted from five people at any one time, to 10 at any one time.

➡️ Wearing masks outdoors, although encouraged, will be optional. But indoors, masks will still be mandatory

➡️Groups of up to 10 fully vaccinated people will be allowed to dine at food and beverage (F&B) establishments. The current restriction in F&B establishments on the sale and consumption of alcohol after 10.30pm will also be lifted.

➡️Up to 75 per cent of employees who can work from home will be allowed to return to their workplaces

➡️ Capacity limit for larger events and settings - those with more than 1,000 people - will be raised to 75 per cent.

➡️Live performances and busking will be allowed to resume at all venues, including F&B establishments. Vocalisation activities by large groups will be allowed as long as masks are worn throughout the activities.

➡️ A second booster dose is recommended for those who are medically susceptible to severe Covid-19. They will maintain their vaccination status even if they do not take the second booster dose.

➡️All fully vaccinated travellers can enter Singapore from March 31, with just a pre-departure Covid-19 test. There will also be no more quota on daily arrivals and no entry approval needed for all vaccinated travellers.

➡️No more Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) ferry services and on-arrival tests for travellers to Singapore by sea from April 1.

👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/outdoor-mask-wearing-not-mandatory-from-march-29-gatherings-allowed-for-up-to-10

👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/4848-covid-19-cases-on-sunday-lowest-since-feb-3

👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/all-vaccinated-travellers-to-be-allowed-to-enter-spore-without-quarantine-no-more-need-for-designated-flights-vtls-replaced

👉🏻https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/singapore-malaysia-to-reopen-land-borders-on-april-1

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[10:41 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: Happy to see progress, but now it's time for simplification. I still cannot see my kid play football, because the venue has not been 'approved' - its a stadium. All the parents stand outside together to watch through the fence. It's stupid. I am using that as an example of why too many nuances, details, FAQs etc are confusing, unnecessary and ineffective. Masks on inside, Masks off outside. That should be all we need now.

[10:47 am, 28/03/2022] +jimmy chew: I thought they simplify the rules? Outside - no masks. Inside - masks. Can't think of any simpler?

[10:48 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: If that was the only rule then it would be simple, yes

[10:48 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: There are still many other rules lol

[10:49 am, 28/03/2022] +jimmy chew: Those are in-between covered and open 🤣

[10:49 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: Not just about masks, but other rules as well.

[10:49 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: Why 10 people at dinner for example?

[10:53 am, 28/03/2022] +jimmy chew: For weddings. Collect Ang pow 🤣

[10:58 am, 28/03/2022] +BL: I'm just saying that things are good, and handled overall well. Let's avoid making lots of detailed rules for every possible scenario.

[11:00 am, 28/03/2022] +WJ: I think it's good timing for easing the safety measures.

[11:07 am, 28/03/2022] +RH: We r a multi-faceted community.

meaning: too many different types of ppl to please....

Hence, err on the side of caution w so many diff rules for so many scenarios.

I can appreciate how difficult it is to try to please 'everyone'.

Let's just take wat we need from the list, can? 😉

[11:57 am, 28/03/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:

Very happy to note that 5 person per table is allowed for hawker centre and coffeeshops for vaccinated people.

Then don't need to split the family when dining out.

[0:37 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: 👍

[0:38 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: Having to wear a mask in the lift might encourage more people to take the stairs lol

[0:45 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: What is funny about this, is that you wouldn't want more than that number of players participating anyway. Why go to the bother of making it a rule? Capacity Limits for Team Sport*

ActiveSG Facilities

Futsal, Hockey 5-A-Side - Maximum of 10 players on field (5v5)

Basketball - Maximum of 10 players on court (5v5)

Volleyball, Floorball - Maximum of 12 players on court (6v6)

Netball - Maximum of 14 players on court (7v7)

Flying Disc - Maximum of 14 players on field (7v7)

Softball - Maximum of 20 players on field (10v10)

Football, Hockey - Maximum of 22 players on field (11v11)

Rugby - Maximum of 30 players on field (15v15)

[0:45 pm, 28/03/2022] +me: Healthier living... More exercise, fitter body

[0:46 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: Thay was just one example of a bunch of unnecessary rules.

[0:46 pm, 28/03/2022] +me: Singapore is a wonderful land of ironies and REDUNDANCIES

[0:49 pm, 28/03/2022] +me: Policies can never be simplified enough cos we pay so many people behind the scenes and everyone needs to add in their two cents' worth.

[0:51 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: I wonder if there were fewer rules, people would feel less of a need to find ways around them.

[0:52 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: Otherwise, a football game might end up with 100 people just because they want to socialise without a mask on?!

[1:40 pm, 28/03/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:

1. Will still put on the mask whether outdoors or indoors - as precaution - until the pandemic is officially over.

2. The high vaccination rate plus booster in Singapore put us in good stead - to keep the population safe and yet be able to open up economically - that get us ready for endemic.

3. Notably, kudos to our healthcare experts for choosing mRNA vaccination - that give us ample protection against covid.

[1:47 pm, 28/03/2022] +XaniceAfcai: Since Sat, many of the older ppls in my areas alr self declare mask off when walking in the street, carpark, lift, etc.

For me, since we still have mask to clear n to protect our live one, we still continue to put on the mask regardless of outdoor or indoor esp at crowded places at bus stop.

I do not or can't afford any of my family to be down which will be super inconvenience to either one.

I hope ppls also will learn the responsibility of mask wearing, smm n personal hygiene but not to act blur not knowing what is indoor n outdoor etc.

[1:50 pm, 28/03/2022] ☸️ Danny 心:

Anyway those infected will cause the whole family to isolate at home for 7 days.

It is highly inconvenient - to get infected just because Omicron is mild.

It is not worth the risk.

Putting on the mask is already part and parcel of our lives for 3 years.

What is a few more months.

[1:53 pm, 28/03/2022] +me: Definitely, that's what this mask on and off issue is about, satisfying the desire to go mask free mostly while still maintaining safety with distance. Humans have always been tip toeing around, from the time we were kids testing waters...

[2:09 pm, 28/03/2022] +jimmy chew: Yeah. It was a good balance between safety and freedom. Taking account if it gets worse in terms of acute care

[2:40 pm, 28/03/2022] +Guillermo Cabeza: I'm pleased that we will have less restrictions from tomorrow and look forward to all of them going away hopefully in the coming months.

[3:15 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: 👍👍

[3:16 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: Yes, I'm not anti mask at all. It was the best deterrent for a long time. I'm happy it's now optional outside.

[3:17 pm, 28/03/2022] +BL: I also agree that personal judgement is encouraged. When I was in Europe last year I wore my mask in crowded areas, busy streets etc, even though it was optional. On quiet roads, I didn't. Glad we can make those choices here now too.

[4:31 pm, 28/03/2022] +Smiley face: https://www.traveloffpath.com/sweden-becomes-22nd-country-to-remove-all-entry-requirements/

[4:32 pm, 28/03/2022] +Smiley face: Sweden Becomes The 22nd Country To Remove All Entry Requirements

Other 21 countries:

🇲🇽 Mexico

🇩🇴 Dominican Republic

🇳🇴 Norway

🇮🇸 Iceland

🇸🇮 Slovenia

🇧🇭 Bahrain

🇯🇴 Jordan

🇮🇪 Ireland

🇭🇺 Hungary

🇷🇴 Romania

🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia

🇲🇪 Montenegro

🇨🇼 Curaçao

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 England

🇦🇼 Aruba

🇲🇻 Maldives

🇲🇳 Mongolia

🇲🇩 Moldova

🇬🇦 Gabon

🇾🇪 Yemen

🇨🇷 Costa Rica

No vaccine proof or PCR tests are needed to travel to these countries now. Sweden had previously only removed entry restrictions for some countries.

[6:54 pm, 28/03/2022] +REACH: Dear Contributors,

⏰ We will be closing the chat in 6 minutes ⏰

Thank you very much for being part of our WhatsApp chat and participating actively.

Goodnight!

Megan

[6:57 pm, 28/03/2022] +Smiley face: 28 March, 2022

To: Our Distinguished MTF and All Our Honorable Members

"Don't Leave Home Without It.. Your Proof Of Vaccination/Recently Recovered"... ?"

Free & Easy Or Fuzzy & Fussy (容易或麻烦)?

- - annoymous

What?

The next 3Qs, which Asean/EU country will attract more visitors than the next one? Is it important to have visitors/tourists/investors while same time a set of safety measures in motion to check and to balance, this case prevention of covid infection and/or death?

Human needs time to think and converge (opposite is diverge to elsewhere), readjust and to recapture those lost opportunities like vacations, business connections and activities. One sure thing that is "we are always creatures of habit!" It is better to start now than later, what are the end goals?

1) Thailand, full mask required.

Visitors arrival into Thailand will be ferried to the prebooked hotels follow by a PCR test. The next day, with a negative PCR test result, visitors are free to move around the cities/country.

2) Vietnam, free & easy, no testing requirement and no vaccination status is required.

3) Philippines, for non vaccinated or partially vaccinated visitors/citizens, quarantine will be required. Limited Scheduled flights dedicated for the unvaccinated/partially vaccinated. At the Airport arrival, two separate lanes for the vaccinated and the unvaccinated visitors/citizens.

4) Australia, fully vaccinated visitors are welcomed into any of its port of calls. A self check ART is required, only positive result needs to be reported to the authority. For other cases, one needs to apply for travel exemption at the authority's website under the "home affairs" section.

Regardless of wherever you are heading to, please go to notarise.gov.sg to download to your smartphone and print a copy your vaccination status.

(Disclaimer, please check with the relevant country to confirm it's latest rules or any changes.)

Afterwords:

What If?

Travellers (vacationers) these days are clever lots, they compare and converge a decision to which country, which airline, which hotel, how many nites stay and what things to buy, to eat and to sightsee?

Let's talk about airlines. Besides branding, services and destinations, a two way and occasional stopovers, that's the airlines game?

Should a national air carrier decides to go inflight mask free/ personal option? What will be the impact in terms of passengers capacity versus the other nation carriers? What if for a short time 'mask free' gimmick snatches many passengers to its side couple with a price reduction tactic from tickets, hotels and GST free shopping sprees all sponsored by its government initiated tourism board (QUIETLY)? In Michael Porter's competitive advantage of a firm/ a country clearly explained such strategic decisions that will have consequences and significance to one and to the others! It is worth thinking over if one happens to manage a fleet of big ferrying airplanes. Fact there exists a country that is losing over US$20.0 billions per month, its overall aviation sector!

News:

https://www.traveloffpath.com/sweden-becomes-22nd-country-to-remove-all-entry-requirements/

The Challengers:

Sweden Becomes The 22nd Country To Remove All Entry Requirements

Other 22 countries: