Singapore can go ahead with phase three of its reopening only if three key conditions are met, according to co-chair of the Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) Lawrence Wong.
These are the three key conditions that need to be met:
- 70 per cent take-up rate for the TraceTogether app and tokens.
Mr Wong said that Singapore is "not there yet" but mentioned that the token distribution is currently ongoing islandwide and will reach everyone eventually by mid to end December.
Mr Wong said that participation rates will go up with the use of the tokens alone, but there is no need to collect a token if citizens download the app. He noted that if citizens were to do so on their own accord, the faster we will get to a higher participation rate.
- Overall compliance and cooperation with safe-distancing measures
Mr Wong said there is a need to see Singaporeans "taking today's measures seriously", remarking that if it was not the case, a further relaxation of the safe-distancing measures would be "very, very risky".
As such, the government seeks everyone's cooperation to do so.
Mr Wong said the government wants to ensure that there is continued vigilance and cooperation with all prevailing safe management measures. The authorities will continue to assess this condition through safe distancing ambassadors, who will continue to observe the situation on the ground at places such as restaurants and parks.
- Increased testing capabilities
The third indicator is for Singapore to have increased testing capabilities, an aspect in which the country is "proceeding well", Wong said.
"We do have the testing capabilities in place, so we just need the contact tracing - TraceTogether - to be up. We need compliance with safe management measures to also be up there, and then with all three indicators showing the green light, we would be in a position to enter phase three."
As to when Singapore will enter Phase 3, Mr Wong asked Singaporeans to "keep an open mind".
"There may be a chance we can do it before the end of the year. If not, we will roll over to January or sometime early next year," he added.
"It's more important that we do it right than we rush into phase three and end up with bad consequences down the road."
And as Singapore gradually transitions into Phase 3, we should also expect the number of Covid-19 cases in the community to rise.
With more activities resuming, community cases may rise “perhaps to the low teens, maybe even to the 20s, or upwards in the 30s”, said Mr Wong.
“We have to be mentally prepared for that and be ready to ensure that even if the local cases in the community were to rise, they do not form large clusters that are out of control.
Let's all cooperate and do our part, so that we may move forward into Phase 3 and eventually, the reopening of our borders.