Singapore to impose near total lockdown for a month
SINGAPORE: Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Friday announced the closure of most workplaces and moving to home-based
learning for schoolchildren as part of his "decisive move" to contain the spread of Coronavirus.
Lee, during a live televised speech to 5.6 million Singaporeans, said that he was worried that unless "we take further steps, things will gradually get worse or another big cluster may push things over the edge".
"We have decided that instead of tightening incrementally over the next few weeks, we should make a decisive move now to pre-empt esca
lating infections," he said. Singapore reported 65 new cases on Friday, taking the total number of cases to 1,114. So far, five persons have died of Coronavirus with three of them in a week.
Singapore will apply these "circuit breakers" for one month in first instance, Lee said.
Restrictions on movements and gatherings of people will be tightened amid the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore.
"We will therefore impose significantly stricter measures. This is like a circuit breaker," the prime minister said.
Most workplaces, with the exception of essential services and key economic sectors, will be closed.
Food establishments, markets and supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport and key banking services will remain open.
"We also should not disrupt economic sectors that are strategic or form part of a global supply chain. People working in these industries can continue to go to work, with safe-distancing measures in place. But most other work premises must close," Lee said, adding that the move will ensure that most of Singapore's workforce stays at home and limits their physical interaction to as few people as possible.
In addition, Singapore will also move to full home-based learning in schools and institutes of higher learning (IHLS) from next Wednesday.
All pre-school and student care centres will also be closed but will provide limited services for children of parents who have to continue working and are unable to make alternative care arrangements.
Singaporeans should stay home as much as possible, avoid socialising with others outside of their households and only go out to do essential things, he said.
Gatherings should be confined to a household and Singaporeans should avoid visiting extended family members who do not live with them, especially if they are elderly or vulnerable, the prime minister added.