WORKPLACES CAN SET THEIR OWN MASK POLICIES
Responding to a reporter’s question about whether employers can mandate masks at the workplace, Mr Wong said businesses have the discretion to decide.
“That option remains because we are lifting the mandatory requirement for mask-wearing. But it is optional, employers may choose to decide. For that matter, in certain settings, industry regulators might also decide that it is a safety requirement.”
For example, food handlers will still have to wear masks or a spit guard. Face shields, which are not considered an “effective physical barrier” due to a large gap at the bottom of the shield that can cause food contamination, are not approved for use, said the Singapore Food Agency.
This applies to all workers who sell or prepare food and drinks, including hawker centres, coffee shops, restaurants and supermarkets, as well as non-retail businesses such as food processing establishments and slaughterhouses.
Those serving plated food to consumers, collecting payments, or who are involved in cleaning need not wear masks, said Dr Amy Khor, Senior Minister of State for Sustainability and the Environment.
Experts have also advised that the elderly and immuno-compromised should continue to wear masks in crowded indoor settings to reduce their risk of catching any respiratory infections, MOH said in its press release.
On mask-wearing at crowded places such as concerts, Mr Wong said it is unlikely that many vulnerable older people will be at these events.
“For these other settings, we are leaving it optional, but … event organisers, venue operators may well decide on a case-by-case basis depending on the setting, depending on the event, that they will still continue with masks as a requirement.”
Task force co-chair Gan Kim Yong noted that many people in Singapore are “used to wearing masks”.
“Going forward even without COVID-19, when you’re not feeling well, even though you’ve tested negative, please wear a mask if you do need to go out, if you need to go to work and interact with people,” he said.
“This is basic public health hygiene practices, and I hope that this COVID-19 experience will help us inculcate that good habit.”
Singapore’s COVID-19 infection numbers have steadily declined across all age groups since late July, and the number of daily hospitalised cases has halved from its recent peak last month, the Health Ministry said.
The country last significantly eased COVID-19 measures on Apr 26, when group size limits and safe-distancing requirements were lifted. SafeEntry and TraceTogether requirements were also removed for most settings.
All employees were allowed to return to the workplace, and the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level was lowered from Orange to Yellow after more than two years.
The DORSCON framework, which gives an indication of the current disease situation, was raised to Orange on Feb 7, 2020, at the start of the pandemic.
The requirement to wear masks outdoors was lifted on Mar 29, along with the doubling of social gathering group sizes from five to 10 people.