7 COVID-19 Cases Today (7 Nov); All Are Imported Cases

With the announcement that a small number of nightlife establishments might be reopening soon, this could’ve meant our COVID-19 numbers have been kept low.

And today’s number shows just that.

As of 12pm today (7 November 2020), the Ministry of Health (MOH) has preliminarily confirmed 7 new cases of COVID-19 infection.

All 7 cases are imported cases.

This brings the total number of cases in Singapore to 58,054.

Based on yesterday’s numbers, the number of new cases in the community has remained low, with a total of 1 case in the past week, who is currently unlinked.

Some Nightlife Businesses, Including KTV Studios, Allowed to Reopen Soon With Safety Measures

Lest you’ve missed yesterday’s major announcement, here’s a brief recap of what’s coming.

In a rather surprising announcement, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said that a limited number of nightlife establishments, including KTV studios, will be allowed to reopen with COVID-19 safety measures in place under a pilot programme.

The pilot programme for pubs and bars will start by December 2020 (note: it’s by, not from, so it might be earlier instead of later) and will last for two months.

For KTV lounges and nightclubs, it’ll begin in January 2021 (once again, note the word used: it’s in, not by), and will last for three months.

The usual rules apply: every patron must wear masks at all times unless they’re eating or drinking, and alcohol cannot be consumed after 10:30pm.

Now, you’d realise that bars and pubs can reopen earlier than clubs and KTVs, and there’s a reason for that.

Nightclubs and KTV lounges need more time to prepare as they have even stricter requirements: patrons must be tested negative for COVID-19 24 hours prior to the end of the activity at the nightlife establishment.

The tests must either be a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test or an antigen rapid test (ART).

The businesses can set up the test on their site, or patrons can test at clinics before heading to the establishments.

Featured Image: People Image Studio / Shutterstock.com