Everything About the Easing of Certain Circuit Breaker Measures (Includes Timeline)

This is breaking news.

Like, literally. Breaking the Circuit Breaker that’s been breaking our lives in breakneck speed.

Ever since the Circuit Breaker took effect, any news conference by the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force has brought nothing but bad news: from the extension of Circuit Breaker to the closure of bubble tea shops.

But today, we finally hear something from a press conference that’ll make us cheer.

Reader Bao: McDonald’s back?

No.

Reader Bao: Bubble tea’s back?

Well, that’s a big maybe—

Reader Bao: STOP BEING SUCH A LOSO FELLOW AND GIVE ME THE DEETS!

Okay, you don’t need to yell.

Everything About the Easing of Certain Circuit Breaker Measures

For a start, you should thank yourself for this as the reason for this easing of measures is due to the improvement in the local community cases.

National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, the face of the COVID-19 fight, said, “We are making good progress but we are not yet at single digit when it comes to local transmission, so it is not time to lift the tighter measures we have in place… We still need to continue for another week. But we can start making some adjustments.”

So they’ve made good their promise by gradually opening up some businesses and easing some restrictions.

Unlike Malaysia that lifted restrictions at one go fastly, Singapore’s doing it in phases.

Here are what you can do starting from next Tuesday, and the other two Tuesdays:

5 May 2020 (Tuesday)

On this day, Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) practitioners will be open, but they can only provide needle acupuncture services. If they have a hall (i.e. a shop) linked to the premises they do acupuncture, then they can also sell retail products.

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Previously, it was reported that you can’t walk your dog or exercise in your condominium premises as there wouldn’t be safe-distancing enforcers around to ensure that you don’t anyhowly kiss strangers. On this day onwards, you can do so—the essential activities you can do include running and walking (with or without your furry friend). However, enforcement officers would now be able to enter the condo to conduct spot checks. Also, the facilities in condos are still closed, so if you want to swim, you might still need to rent a swimming pool for $10,000 a month.

12 May 2020 (Tuesday)

This is what everyone’s looking at: selected businesses would be open. This includes home-based businesses, food manufacturing and selected food retail outlets, laundry services, barbers and pet supplies.

There’s no indication of whether the selected food retail outlets comprise bubble tea, but let’s face it: we’re all hoping that it’d be bubble tea shops. If not what else? Bak kwa shops?

19 May 2020 (Tuesday)

Some students would be able to return to schools in small groups for lessons, especially for graduating cohorts and those that require school facilities for coursework. This would also include Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs) like universities, polys or ITEs. Students would be kept in small groups within their cohorts, and safe-distancing measures will still apply.

Reader Bao: So…that’s all?

So far, yes.

We’re all still required to stay at home, and only leave our house for essential tasks like buying food or groceries.

Reader Bao: That’s like going back to the days before the enhanced Circuit Breaker measures were implemented

You really can’t please everyone, can you?

In the meantime, you should read about the latest updates by bookmarking MOH’s website here and registering for the Gov.sg’s WhatsApp service here.

Or if you’re young, you can join Gov.sg’s Telegram channel and do remember to join the Goody Feed Telegram channel, too.

Also, do subscribe to our YouTube channel whereby we’d update you daily on what’s happening in Singapore – including, of course, about the nasty bug that’s been disrupting all our lives: