Taking COVID-19 swab sample in Singapore (Photo: AFP/VNA)Singapore (VNA) – Singaporean authorities have orderedtightening some restrictions from July 22 to August 18 amidincreasing COVID-19 infections.
Under the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) measures,gatherings are capped at two people. Officials allow two distinct visitors perhousehold daily. Authorities continue to require people to practice healthprotocols, including wearing face masks in public places.
Since the beginning of July, the number ofCOVID-19 cases in the community in Singapore has increased dramatically,whereby the number of new cases in the community on July 19 nearly doubled the figure on the previous day.
Singapore is entering a new wave of communityinfections with the number of COVID-19 cases expected to rise in the comingweeks. Most of these new cases were detected in two major outbreaks - KTVkaraoke bars and Jurong fishing port.
The KTV karaoke has been required to stop operation sinceSingapore put in place the restriction measures since April 2020. To pay rent, manyowners have switched to food stalls, of which, most of them fail to follow pandemicprevention measures, leading to the outbreak. Experts also pointed out someinadequacies in management from this case. However, these karaoke bars are unlikely to meet the standards of arestaurant, and it is also difficult to meet the epidemic prevention requirements.
According to medical experts, the number of COVID-19 casesrelated to this outbreak is likely to continue to increase in the coming weeks,because there are still many people who have not taken COVID-19 tests due topersonal reasons.
The Ministry of Health has advised all elderlypeople not to go out for the next few weeks as the number of cases isexpected to continue to soar and this particular age group is more vulnerableto the disease.
At the same time, the Ministry of Health has also createdfavourable conditions for this group of people to get vaccinated, such asdeploying mobile vaccination teams to their homes, or the elderly can go to anyvaccination site without having to make any appointment./.
