S’pore Residents Fined Over $2.5 Million for Breaking COVID-19 Rules in 2020

When COVID-19 regulations like the circuit breaker were announced, we all had to adapt.

Still, there has been no shortage of cases where people break said regulations.

But was it really all bad? How many cases were there of such instances last year?

It turns out that some of the numbers are pretty staggering.

S’pore Residents Fined Over $2.5 Million for Breaking COVID-19 Measures in 2020

In order to keep a fine city, sometimes people need to be fined in the city.

Between April to December last year, over 8,600 fines were given to those breaching safe distancing or safe management measures.

This also includes those who didn’t wear masks.

They were categorised as such:

• fines for those who did not follow safe distancing and safe management measures were around 6,900
• roughly 1,700 fines were given to those who did not wear masks

First-timers who breach safety management measures were fine $300, and $1,000 for the second time.

And in total, the fines came up to around S$2.5 million.

More than $2 million came from those who breached safe distancing and safe management measures while the remaining came from those who didn’t wear masks.

The Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) also noted several more common offences.

These included gathering in groups over the permitted limit and intermingling at F&B outlets, game courts in Housing Board estates and other outdoor areas.

Keeping Up Vigilance

We can only imagine that most have learnt their lesson, seeing as these measures have been around for almost a year.

And despite Phase Three easing things up, authorities are still remaining vigilant.

As of last month, one new measure imposed was that households can only have eight different visitors per day.

Such measures will continue to be in place for several weeks despite being at the tail end of the festive season.

Education Minister Lawrence Wong mentioned that the virus had an incubation period, and may even need 14 days for symptoms to show.

MSE also wants people to follow these tightened measures strictly, ensuring cases don’t spike again.

The ministry says inspections on F&B premises, malls, parks and beaches might be stepped up if needed.

MOM Investigations

This is also what the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) has been continuing to do as well.

Said inspections also revealed several firms breaching COVID-19 measures, causing around 140 of them to cease operations.

Another 280 were also fined for breaching said regulations, detailed in figures released by MOM on 6 Feb.

A common violation was asking workers to come back despite being able to work from home.

Just remember that despite vaccines being available, it’s no excuse for us to get complacent.

You won’t want bubble tea shops to close again, right?

Featured Image: kandl stock / Shutterstock.com (Image is for illustration purpose only)