SINGAPORE: Parents will no longer be allowed to drop their children off at their grandparents' place on a daily basis, said Health Minister Gan Kim Yong on Thursday (Apr 9), as part of further measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Singapore.
This is to protect the elderly who are more vulnerable to the virus.
AdvertisementAdvertisement"If there are care arrangements for the grandparents to look after your children, then you should leave the children with their grandparents throughout the entire 'circuit breaker' period," said Mr Gan.
"This is to protect the seniors, to minimise their risk of exposure to the virus.
“Every time when you bring your children to your parents or to the grandparents, you expose them again and again to potential infection."
Speaking at a press conference by the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force, Mr Gan acknowledged that parents who work in essential services may face issues finding help to look after their children.
AdvertisementAdvertisementIn such cases, they can place their children in childcare centres, which remain open to these parents.
“We have made childcare services available for essential service workers. If there are no alternatives, appeal to us, and we will consider on a case by case, but only for essential services workers, and only when there are no alternatives,” he added.
Those who need to visit their elderly parents who live alone to help them with their daily needs will be allowed to do so.
“Do try to reduce the interaction times as far as possible, and observe strict personal hygiene,” he urged.
His announcement comes amid "circuit breaker" measures introduced to slow down the transmission of COVID-19 in Singapore. Only essential services remain open. Most workplaces are closed and schools have implemented full home-based learning.
OPEN-AIR STADIUMS TO CLOSE
Speaking at the press conference, the task force’s co-chair Minister for National Development Lawrence Wong announced that open-air stadiums will be closed "henceforth".
“We had kept stadiums open, because we thought this would be an avenue where people going out to exercise, could exercise without bunching together, but yet, unfortunately we do see groups, people coming in groups to exercise at the stadium,” he said.
If there is no compliance and if these venues continue to be used for congregation of groups, the Government cannot allow that to continue, he said.
“We are not stopping people from going out to exercise, but if you want to exercise, do it by yourself, or do it with a family member, that's already living with you and do it in your own neighborhood. Do not go out to a special place outside, drive, make a special trip, just to exercise,” he added.
“Minimise movement minimise travel, do what you need to do within your own local neighborhood. Do not exercise in groups, do not jog in groups, do not cycle in groups, any such activities would be an offence.”
He noted that that the authorities are already dealing with clusters in foreign worker dormitories, and urged people not to have “more clusters emerge outside of that in our own community as well”.
“We are continuing to enforce, and review the rules, and over the coming days as we monitor movement we may very well have to tighten up some more, so that the circuit breaker will truly be effective, and all the efforts and sacrifices that Singaporeans are making over this coming month will eventually pay off,” he said.
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