Capacity limits, COVID-19 tests no longer needed at nightlife establishments from Jun 14

SINGAPORE: Nightlife establishments with dancing among patrons will no longer be subjected to a capacity limit from Jun 14.

Patrons will also no longer need to obtain a negative antigen rapid test (ART) result to enter the venue, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Friday (Jun 10), adding that this move will "rationalise the rules" for nightspots with other social settings.

However, vaccination-differentiated safe management measures will continue to apply, with operators still required to conduct such checks to ensure that only fully-vaccinated people enter these settings. 

Enforcement officers may carry out random checks to ensure that operators comply, said MOH.

In April, COVID-19 safe management measures on group sizes and capacity limits were largely lifted, except at nightlife establishments where there is dancing among patrons as it was considered a higher-risk activity.

Nightlife businesses were allowed to fully reopen from Apr 19, after more than two years of restrictions. 

INDOOR MASK-WEARING

Although Singapore's local COVID-19 situation has been stable over the past month, indoor mask-wearing will continue to be required, said MOH.

In a COVID-19 multi-ministerial task force press release, MOH said that the indoor masking requirement was retained as a "key line of defence" against community transmission, despite the removal of most COVID-19 safe management measures.

This is to stay vigilant against the risk of a new wave of cases as the immunity in Singapore's population wanes in the coming months, as well as the possibility of new COVID-19 variants emerging, said the ministry. 

"We also strongly urge eligible individuals who have not received their primary series and booster vaccinations to do so quickly, so as to protect themselves from the risk of severe illness should a new infection wave emerge in the next couple of months."