COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore
The COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore was a part of the worldwide pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first case in Singapore was confirmed on 23 January 2020. Early cases were primarily imported until local transmission began to develop in February and March. In late March and April, COVID-19 clusters were detected at multiple migrant worker dormitories, which soon contributed to an overwhelming proportion of new cases in the country.
COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore | |
---|---|
(clockwise from top left)
| |
Disease | COVID-19 |
Virus strain | SARS-CoV-2 |
Location | Singapore |
First reported | Wuhan, Hubei, China |
Index case | Sentosa, Southern Islands |
Arrival date | 23 January 2020 (3 years, 2 weeks and 6 days) |
Confirmed cases | 2,641,196[1] |
Recovered | 2,516,440 (updated 23 July 2023) [2] |
Deaths | 1,872[1] |
Fatality rate | 0.07% |
Vaccinations | |
Government website | |
www |
To stem the tide of infections, strict circuit breaker lockdown measures were implemented from 7 April to 1 June 2020, after which restrictions have been gradually lifted as conditions permitted.[4] A mass vaccination campaign was launched, and has been successful in achieving a very high vaccination rate, with more than 96% of the eligible populace having completed their vaccination regimen as of June 2022.[5][6] Various measures have been taken to mass test the population for the virus and isolate infected people. Contact tracing measures SafeEntry and TraceTogether were implemented to identify and quarantine close contacts of positive cases.
The last record of COVID-19 cases was on 4 June 2023, which was at 2,481,404 confirmed cases, 2,456,295 recoveries and 1,727 deaths,[7] with a case fatality rate of 0.08%, one of the lowest in the world.[8] It introduced what was considered one of the world's largest and best-organised epidemic control programmes.[9][10]
Government response
In response to the emerging threat, a multi-ministerial task force committee was formed on 22 January 2020 with Minister for Education, Lawrence Wong and Minister for Health, Gan Kim Yong as the co-chairs with Prime Minister, Lee Hsien Loong and Deputy Prime Minister, Heng Swee Keat as advisors. On 23 April 2021 in a cabinet reshuffle, Lee announced the appointment of Ong Ye Kung as the new Minister for Health, another committee co-chair alongside the incumbents while Lawrence Wong and Gan Kim Yong will be Minister for Finance and Minister for Trade and Industry respectively from 15 May 2021.[12][13] Singapore had also contributed US$500,000 to support the World Health Organization's (WHO) efforts against COVID-19.[14]
Circuit breaker measures and gradual re-opening
In response to the first wave of COVID-19, Singapore enacted the "COVID-19 Control Order", announcing on 3 April 2020 a stringent set of preventive measures collectively called the "circuit breaker lockdown". Initially planned to be applied from 7 April to 4 May, the circuit breaker lockdown was extended to 1 June on 21 April following continued untraced transmission within the community. The Multi-Ministry Taskforce on 19 May announced the three-phased approach to resume activities safely with the gradual re-opening of economic activities in each phase.[4]
Phase 1 lasted for 17 days from 2 June and ended on 18 June, with Phase 2 lasting for 6 months and 8 days from 19 June to 27 December. Singapore was in Phase 3 from 28 December 2020 until 7 May 2021;[15] following the rise of the Delta variant, it temporarily reverted to Phase 2 on 8 May,[16] which was raised to "Phase 2 Heightened Alert" from 16 May to 13 June, "Phase 3 Heightened Alert" from 14 June to 21 July and "Phase 2 Heightened Alert" from 22 July 2021 to 9 August 2021. This was followed by "Preparatory Stage of Transition" from 10 August 2021 to 26 September 2021, reverting to Phase 2 Heightened Alert measures (dubbed the "Stabilisation Phase") from 27 September to 21 November 2021,[17][18][19] after which it entered the "Transition Phase" from 22 November 2021 to 25 April 2022, followed by the "COVID-19 Resilient Nation/Acute Phase" from 26 April 2022 to 12 February 2023.[20][21]
As of 13 February, Singapore is currently in the "Endemic Phase", with the vast majority of COVID-19 restrictions lifted.[22][23]
Contact tracing technologies
Technological solutions to facilitate contact tracing efforts were rapidly developed and deployed by the government. SafeEntry, a check-in system that logs the entry and exit of visitors to public places, was first introduced at selected wet markets on 24 April 2020[24] and subsequently expanded to include a wide range of venues in May.[25] It was later augmented by compulsory use of TraceTogether,[26] a system originally launched on 20 March 2020[27] that uses Bluetooth signal strengths to track the proximity and duration of encounters between people with a smartphone app or physical token.[28] With the relaxation of most countermeasures on 26 April 2022, both systems were phased out except in the case of large events with 500 participants, food and beverages outlets, and nightlife entertainment establishments with dancing facilities.[29] On 9 February 2023, it was announced that the use of TraceTogether and SafeEntry would be discontinued from 13 February.[30]
Vaccination campaign
A mass vaccination programme is currently under way following the approval and acquisition of the Pfizer–BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines;[31][32] in late 2021, Singapore became the world's most-vaccinated country, with more than 85% of its total population fully-vaccinated.[5] As of June 2022, over 92% of the total population have completed their vaccination regimen, representing over 96% of the eligible populace.[6]
Epidemiology
Background
On 31 December 2019, health authorities in China reported to the World Health Organization (WHO) a cluster of viral pneumonia cases of unknown cause in Wuhan, Hubei,[34] and an investigation was launched in early January 2020.[35] On 30 January, the WHO declared the outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC), after mounting evidence that the novel coronavirus had spread to 18 countries and completion of investigation in Wuhan.[36][37]
Cases
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, cases were traced to clusters that several cases had visited during a particular time period in the whole of Singapore.[38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46] In 2020, new cases are only at foreign worker dormitories and construction sites while Singapore had followed zero-COVID strategy.[47][48] while local cases formed the bulk of new cases from April 2021, driven by SARS-CoV-2 Delta variant, and rose rapidly to 4-digit numbers. At the final recording dated 31 January 2023, there were 2,124,199 local cases and 92,911 imported cases.[49][lower-alpha 1] 22 February 2022 saw its highest daily count at 26,032 cases, with 24 February 2022 seeing its highest active case count at 73,540 cases; 20 October 2021, 16 November 2021 and 4 March 2022 saw its highest daily fatality count at 18 deaths.[7] The last recorded date of any patient in the ICU was 12 February 2023.[50] It was only on 14 August 2020 that there were no reported community cases for the first time since June,[51] while 1 October 2020 was the first time since April that the daily number of imported cases exceeded that of dormitory cases.[52] 13 October 2020 was the first time in over six months that no dormitory cases were reported,[53] with 15 June 2021 being the first time in over eleven months that no imported cases were reported.[54] At the end of September 2021, the number of confirmed cases in Singapore exceeded the number of confirmed cases in China, with the country also reaching the first grim milestone of 100,000 cases on 2 October 2021. The total number of community cases exceeded that of dormitory cases on 14 October 2021, and passed 100,000 cases on 27 October 2021. Singapore also broke its monthly death record in October 2021 with 312 deaths, breaking its previous monthly death record of 40 in September 2021. The total death count exceeded 1,000 on 27 February 2022, with the total case count crossing the 1-million mark on 19 March 2022. Singapore reported its first death of a patient under 12 years old on 27 June 2022.[55]
Internationally, the case fatality ratio (CFR) for COVID-19 has been much lower than SARS in 2003.[56][57] The transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus powering the COVID-19 pandemic has been significantly greater, with a significant total death toll.[58][56] However, Singapore's death rate has been one of the world's lowest, both in terms of CFR and per capita.[59][60] This may be attributed to the fact that the bulk of the cases are restricted to the migrant workers living in dormitories away from the general population.[59] These migrant workers tend to be younger,[59] with an average age of 30 years and 2 months old when surveyed in 2015, and the healthcare system was never overwhelmed.[61][62] The authorities also tested the entire dormitory population for COVID-19 infection, leading to many otherwise asymptomatic infections being picked up.[63][64] Research by the European Commission suggests that the CFR for SARS-CoV-2 virus picks up in cases 50 years of age and above.[65] The elderly in the general population in Singapore have been advised to stay at home as much as possible,[59] while resident-facing staff in old folks homes are being housed on site or separately in hotels.[66]
Other factors contributing to Singapore's exceptionally low CFR include the country's use of extensive contact tracing and testing to identify cases, mandatory mask-wearing, and hospitalisation of all high-risk patients. Singapore has comparatively strict criteria for classifying COVID-19 deaths, counting patients who were infected with COVID but died of other causes as non-COVID deaths.[67][68]
Prevalence studies on the population have shown that 4 in 1600 in the community, or about 0.25%, have previously been infected with COVID-19, while at least 47% of migrant workers living in dormitories have tested positive by PCR or serological tests.[69][70]
Initial wave of COVID-19 (2020)
National authorities began reporting suspected cases on 4 January,[71] however the first confirmed case was reported on 23 January, a tourist from Wuhan.[72] Until 30 January, there were a total of 13 confirmed cases, all of whom were visitors to Singapore from China.[73][74] The first case involving a Singaporean was confirmed on 31 January after returning from Wuhan.[75] Contact tracing procedures were put in place to identify close contacts of the confirmed cases who were placed under 14-day quarantines to ring-fence the potential spread of the virus.[76][77]
These imported cases eventually lead to clusters of local transmissions being formed. The first local cluster was reported on 4 February at Yong Thai Hangs, a Chinese health products shop. It was identified as the locus of the infection where four women without recent history of travel to China contracted the virus.[78] The shop was affected when a tour group from Guangxi, China visited it along with other locations such as the Diamond Industries Jewellery Company at Harbour Drive, where another case occurred, while touring Singapore.[79] The tour group had returned to China and the Chinese authorities had confirmed that two of the group was infected.[78] Authorities raised DORSCON level to Orange with the impending COVID-19 cases of infection,[80][81] with Prime Minister Lee expressing his worry about some cases with no known chain of transmission of the infection directly from Wuhan or indirectly via cases traced in Singapore. He suggested that it might become "futile to try to trace every contact".[82][83] More clusters emerged at various locations, where there were large scale gatherings such as a business conference, Chinese New Year dinner gatherings and church-related activities.[84] Two clusters were linked when several cases in each cluster was found to have infected each other through serological tests, the first such successful test in the world.[85]
In March, as the number of cases began to rise exponentially around the world, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and the Ministry of Education (MOE) began to encourage Singaporeans to return home. Various institutes of higher learning recalled their students currently on overseas internship or exchange, and the MFA began liaising with airlines to facilitate flights to key cities when necessary during this period, to cater to demand for return flights to Singapore.[86] This led to an increase in number of imported cases, in which over 70% of cases from 16 to 19 March were Singaporeans and long-term pass holders returning from overseas.[87]
Plans for the lockdown began in February but waited until late of March. Various mask-off activities were prohibited such as dining in and all exercise activities and many people were remote working starting from early April; and from 5 May, gatherings and social visits were only allowed up to two per day, until 1 June. The bulk of cases began to shift from imported cases to migrant workers living in dormitories, resulting in the authorities imposing a mandatory quarantine of 20,000 migrant workers in two dormitories gazetted as isolation areas, namely the S11 Dormitory and Westlite Toh Guan.[88] Following which, the number of cases in migrant worker dormitories began to soar as more clusters were detected in other migrant worker dormitories, reaching a single-daily high of 1,426 cases recorded amongst migrant workers on 20 April.[89] On 21 April, MOM announced that all foreign workers in dormitories were to stop work until 4 May to curb the rising spread of the coronavirus among the groups that were hit the hardest.[90] The number of daily cases amongst migrant workers living in dormitories gradually decreased but continued to remain in the hundreds until early August, with aggressive testing by the authorities.[91] April also marked a shift in policy. The government stopped automatically admitting the infected in hospitals and instead created community care facilities for those who were at low risk, which allowed hospitals to focus only on those in higher risk categories. At the peak on 12 May, there were 19,667 patients in community care facilities. This allowed hospitals to reduce bed take up related to COVID-19 from more than a thousand to several hundred in a few weeks. 18 September saw the first time since the crisis spread to work dormitories that the daily dorm case number fell into single digits.[92]
From May onwards, the vast majority of cases were reported in dormitories, with community cases never rising above 24 cases, which was reported on 11 July.[93] Nevertheless, while numbers in the dorms remained elevated in May, 20 April in fact represented the peak of daily cases reported among dormitory workers. By August, it was clear that the situation in dormitories was being brought under control, with new daily cases among dorm workers finally falling below 100 on 11 August. On 11 August, Ministry of Manpower announced that all dormitories had been declared cleared of COVID-19 (except for those blocks that were being used for quarantine facilities).[94] By 1 October less than 300 people were being housed in community care facilities, down from the almost 20,000 from the May peak.[95] However, it also became clear that controlling the disease was going to be extremely difficult. While total case numbers had continued to decline, unlinked community cases had begun to edge up and some dorms that had been cleared of infection were once again put on lockdown. A significant milestone was achieved on 13 October when it was announced that, for the first time since March, there were no local cases of infection. This was followed shortly by 16 October, when the number of active cases fell to less than 100 – the first time since 12 March,[96][97] and by 25 November, when it was announced that there were no active clusters for the first time since the pandemic began.[98]
On 24 December, Singapore confirmed its first case of the Alpha variant.[99] With Singapore entering the COVID 2020 Phase 3 on 31 December 2020, 2 new clusters were formed out of the 5 community cases reported that day, all of whom were linked to the marine sector.[100] Two additional clusters were formed on 17 and 19 January 2021; the first was from 2 community cases linked to a para-vet working with the Singapore Police Force's K-9 unit,[101] with the second from 2 community cases linked to a worker at Golden Bridge Foods Manufacturing.[102] Another cluster consisting of four community cases linked to an employee at BS Industrial & Construction Supply was formed on 20 January.[103]
After banning short term arrivals in March, imported cases fell dramatically. However, since the beginning of July, there was a steady trickle of imported cases as the government loosened arrival requirements, with the majority of cases arriving from India, Indonesia, and the Philippines. January 2021 saw a sharp spike in imported cases, of which foreign domestic workers formed the bulk due to the high demand for them amidst the pandemic.[104]
Delta wave of COVID-19
On 23 April 2021, Singapore tightened restrictions due to the rising Delta wave of COVID-19. 2 new localised clusters were identified on 21 and 24 April;[105] the first was a household cluster of 3 community cases linked to a 43-year-old Indian national and work pass holder who was possibly re-infected,[106] while the second was a group of 4 community cases who were linked to a 39-year-old Indonesian sailor.[107] On 29 April, a new household cluster was formed out of 7 community cases that were linked to a 38-year-old Singaporean ICA officer working at Changi Airport, with another cluster formed out of 8 community cases linked to a 46-year-old Filipino nurse working at Tan Tock Seng Hospital.[108] It was announced that Singapore would temporarily revert to Phase 2 from 8 May, but because of the rising Delta variant at Changi Airport Terminal 3, Jurong East (Jem) and several institutes of education, it was tightened to Phase 2 Heightened Alert from 16 May to 13 June.[109][110] Dining-in would no longer be allowed, and the maximum number of persons in a social gathering would be further reduced to two, among other restrictions.[111] MOE also announced that all Singapore primary schools, secondary schools and junior colleges were to move to full home-based learning starting on 19 May.[112]
After a decline in community cases, it was announced that Singapore would re-enter "Phase 3 Heightened Alert", with re-opening to commence in two stages. The first stage would begin on 14 June with the limit on social gatherings increased to 5 people, while the next stage would begin on 21 June with the resumption of dining-in with 5 people.[113] MOE further announced that Primary 4–6, Secondary 3–5, and junior college and Millennia Institute students would be able to return to school on 28 June, and Secondary 1–2 students on 1 July; all students from other levels would return on 6 July.[114] However, a new cluster was formed at the 115 Bukit Merah View Market and Food Centre that was linked to a 74-year old store owner who tested positive on 9 June, which resulted in a fresh surge of community cases. Consequently, the second stage of re-opening was adjusted so that only 2 persons would be allowed for dining-in.[115] With the stabilisation of community infections in early July 2021, it was announced that dining-in with groups of up to 5—along with wedding receptions—would resume on 12 July.
In mid-July 2021, a new cluster was formed at several KTV lounges out of 3 community cases linked to a short-term visit pass holder from Vietnam who first tested positive on 11 July, leading to another massive surge in cases.[116][117][118] Another new cluster that contributed to the surge was formed on 16 July at Jurong Fishery Port, thereby it reverted to the semi-lockdown called "Phase 2 Heightened Alert" from 22 July to 10 August.[119]
On 6 August 2021, it was announced that due to Singapore having successfully vaccinated 66% of its population, restrictions would be eased in two phases; from 10 August, dining-in at restaurants would resume with a limit of up to 5 fully-vaccinated persons, while the limit for non-vaccinated persons and dining-in at hawker centres would remain at 2. From 19 August, half of employees currently remote working could return to offices.[120] The following weeks saw another steep rise in dormitory and community cases with the formation of new clusters at North Coast Lodge on 23 August and Bugis Junction on 24 August,[121][122] as well as 8 bus interchanges.[123] In this situation, Singapore has only been able to toggle between 2 and 5 person gatherings and are unable to ease back to 8 person gatherings from 8 May 2021 all the way to 28 March 2022. Singapore has removed restrictions relating to Variant of Concern from 29 March 2022.
Just after Singapore's COVID-19 vaccination rates increased to 80%, cases rose rapidly by 500 - 1,000 on 30 August 2021, after the public feedback, MOH has announced that Singapore will enter the Stabilisation Phase, dining-in group size at F&B outlets are reduced to two vaccinated people from the current five. Singapore has abandoned the zero-COVID strategy. When the situation improved, dining-in were reverted to five persons who are from the same household, then from 22 November, Singapore had entered Transition Phase after two months, dining-in were reverted to five vaccinated persons and hawker centres and coffeeshops joined the five vaccinated persons strategy, if checks took place.[124] The government did not ease any remote work until the introduction of Workforce Vaccination Measures (WVM), those coming back to work were complemented by ART testing on weekends only. In addition, Singapore has changed the "clusters" to "Health Risk Warning (HRW)", where those who are close contact will have to take Antigen Rapid Testing (ART) under Protocol 3, those who took 5-day MC and on self-isolation/quarantine, hence those who are under Protocol 2.[125][126]
From 1 October 2021, MOH announced that it would unveil COVID-19 maps daily showing where COVID-19 cases have visited frequently. The first map released on 1 October, had 12 sub-zones shown which were frequently visited by infected cases.[127]
Omicron waves of COVID-19
On 4 January 2022, the week-on-week infection increase rate crossed 1 in Singapore. This has happened for the first time in approximately two months since the COVID-19 Omicron variant cases increased in the city-state. As per statistics, most of the cases detected on each day have entered Singapore from abroad, precisely, 502 out of 842 cases. Despite the increase in cases, hospitalization in Singapore has remained low, with more ICU beds available than in use.[128] Following reports that the current wave was subsiding, MOH announced that COVID-19 safety measures would be streamlined, effective from 15 March 2022 onwards.[129] On 29 March 2022, the measures were further eased, with the limit on group sizes and dining-in increased to 10, masks made optional outdoors and the full reopening of borders for fully-vaccinated travellers, as well as the lifting of restrictions on live performances.[130]
On 22 April 2022, MOH announced that due to the stabilising situation, it would lower the DORSCON level to Yellow from 26 April onwards; limits on group sizes would be removed, and TraceTogether and SafeEntry would cease operations at most settings.[21] In addition, the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) announced on 24 April that it would gradually reduce the number of safe-distancing ambassadors on patrol.[131]
On 15 May 2022, three cases in the community were found to be infected with the new BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants.[132] Health Minister Ong Ye Kung predicted that the next wave would arrive in July or August 2022.[133] As the situation stabilised in late August, it was announced that safety measurements would be further eased, with masks only required for transportation that is meant for public access (e.g. Mass Rapid Transit, Light Rail Transit, Causeway Link, SBS Transit, SMRT Buses, Tower Transit, ComfortDelGro, Strides Transportation, TransCab, Sentosa Express, Changi Airport Skytrain and those shopping mall services) and healthcare facilities; non fully-vaccinated travellersto Singapore would also no longer be required to serve a 7-day SHN.[134]
The first week of October 2022 saw an increase in cases due to the F1 Grand Prix.[135]
Cautious reopening
The authorities took cautious measures as the economy began to reopen to more regular outside travellers in August. Travellers who did not quarantine in a dedicated facility would have to wear an electronic tag throughout the 14-day period.[136] Singapore also implemented a Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) with Malaysia, allowing limited travel between the two countries. Later in the month, arrivals from certain countries had their 14-day quarantine reduced to 7 days; those arriving from Brunei and New Zealand who were tested negative upon arrival would be allowed in without any quarantine.[137] On 30 September 2020, the Singapore government announced that the country will lift border restrictions for some visitors from Australia, excluding Victoria state, and Vietnam, beginning from 8 October 2020;[138] quarantine requirements for Victoria state and mainland China were cancelled on 6 November.[139] In October 2020, then-Minister of Transport Ong Ye Kung suggested that Singapore would be looking to open travel bubbles with various countries such as those with similar risk profiles, but also for those countries from higher risk locations.[140] One such travel bubble between Singapore and Hong Kong was to have started on 22 November; initially postponed to 2021 due to the resurgence of COVID-19 cases in Hong Kong,[141] it was eventually cancelled in August 2021 due to conflicting strategies between the city-state. Singapore cancelled the quarantine arrangement for Hong Kong and Macao, allowing all arrivals quarantine-free under the Air Travel Pass (ATP).[142][143] This came 9 months after Singapore cancelled the quarantine requirement for China.
Domestic impact
Legal impact
To stop the spread of COVID-19, the COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 and its Control Order Regulations 2020[144] was brought into force. These rules banned gatherings and led some to be charged in court,[145] fined or even jailed for offences related to these laws.[146][147] A number of people who were on work passes have had their passes revoked and have also been permanently banned from working in Singapore.[148]
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an unofficial moratorium on all executions in Singapore for two years, although there are still new death sentences imposed in several capital cases (including convicted murderer Teo Ghim Heng) during the moratorium.[149] The first person to be sentenced to death during the COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore was Punithan Genasan, a 37-year-old Malaysian who was also the first to be sentenced to death on 15 May 2020 via a remote court hearing on Zoom.[150] Punithan, who was convicted of drug trafficking, was later acquitted on 31 October 2022 upon appeal.[151] Eventually, the Singapore government carried out its first execution on 30 March 2022 by hanging 68-year-old Singaporean drug trafficker Abdul Kahar Othman, thus ending the city-state's moratorium on capital punishment.[152] So far, sixteen executions (eleven in 2022 and five in 2023) were carried out as of 3 August 2023.[153][154][155][156][157]
Also, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (especially during the lockdown), virtual court hearings were made through digital video-conferencing platforms (notably Zoom) to hear court cases, which replaced physical court hearings for some cases. The first fully virtual court hearing was made via Zoom on 23 April 2020, when the Court of Appeal acquitted 27-year-old Mohammad Azli Mohammad Salleh of drug trafficking and overturned his death sentence.[158][159]
Economic impact
The ongoing pandemic is likely to have a significant impact on the local economy. On 17 February 2020, the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) downgraded Singapore's forecast GDP growth to between −0.5% and 1.5%.[160] This is largely due to the fall in tourism and social distancing restrictions.[160] On 26 March, MTI said it believed that the economy would contract by between 1% and 4% in 2020. This was after the economy shrank some 2.2% in the first quarter of 2020 from the same quarter in 2019.[161] On 26 May, the Singapore economy contracted 0.7%YoY, which was better than the expected contraction of 2.2%. However, MTI said that it was revising down its expectation for the Singapore economy in 2020 to shrink by 4% to 7%.[162] Economists were behind the curve in downgrading their numbers. The IMF for example, predicted in October 2019 that growth in 2020 would be 1%, but as a result of COVID-19, had changed their expectation in October 2020 to a contraction of 6%.[163][164] Other institutions initially expected the economy to expand but had to revise their numbers.[165]
On 2 April 2020, the rating's agency Moody's downgraded the Singapore banking sector from "stable" outlook to a "negative" outlook on the back of rising bad loans and deteriorating profitability as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.[166] It was estimated by the economist Chua Hak Bin, the lockdown "circuit breaker" beginning on 7 April could impact the economy to the tune of S$10 billion.[167] With the lockdown imposed on foreign workers, there were concerns that there could be delays in construction work of up to six months.[168] Senior Minister of State Chee Hong Tat announced that some 3,800 companies had closed in April 2020, only slightly higher than the 3,700 reported on average for the same month in the past 5 years. Though he warned that this would likely rise in the coming months. Despite this only small increase in companies shutting down, the number of companies starting up had declined by about a third from the average April since 2015.[169]
On 6 April 2020, it was announced in Parliament that Changi Airport Terminal 2 would be suspended from 1 May 2020 for 18 months due to the ongoing pandemic.[170] Terminal 4 would later be suspended on 16 May indefinitely as well, with the aim to restart operations when travel demand returns.[171] The suspension of Terminal 2 would also allow the ongoing expansion work which was announced in January 2020 to be completed up to a year ahead of schedule in 2023 instead of 2024.[172] The airlines which were operating from these two terminals were largely consolidated into the remaining Terminals 1 and 3, with some airlines remained suspended until further notice.[173]
In November 2020, the MTI announced Singapore's economy contracted 5.8% in the third quarter from the same period in 2019. It also expected the economy to shrink contract by between 6% and 6.5% in 2020, though in 2021 it expected an expansion of between 4% and 6% next year.[174]
Employment
Data released by the Ministry of Manpower showed that total employment contracted by 57,000 in 2020, which was the biggest drop since SARS in 2003.[175] Foreign workers were vulnerable to being let go during the crisis as support measures such as the Jobs Support Scheme were primarily targeted as subsidising the wages of local staff not all employees. There were some 22,200 fewer foreign employees (excluding domestic workers) between December 2019 and March 2020.[176] Ministry of Manpower reported that unemployment in the first quarter of 2020 rose to 2.4 per cent from 2.3 per cent the quarter previously, the highest in a decade, while among Singaporeans it rose from 3.3 per cent to 3.5 per cent.[177]
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, various companies like Resorts World Sentosa reduced a significant amount of its workforce.[178][179]
Local firms had to take aggressive action to deal with effects of the pandemic. For example, on 10 September 2020, Singapore Airlines announced that it would cut around 4,300 positions across its group.[180] On 15 September 2020, United Overseas Bank announced that it was limiting hiring.[181]
Inflation
The overall inflation dropped to 0.3% in February 2020 on a year-by-year basis. Core inflation, which excludes the costs of accommodation and private road transport, dropped to −0.1%, the first time this decade that core inflation turned negative. This was also due to supply chains being disrupted due to COVID-19.[182]
Stocks
On 9 March 2020, the Straits Times Index fell 6.03% owing to the impact of COVID-19, made worse by the oil price war.[183] The Index dropped again three days later by 3.8% after more measures were announced with the World Health Organization declaring a pandemic.[184]
Monetary policy
The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) brought forward its twice year meeting from some time in April to 30 March 2020.[185] The MAS has since decided to ease the Singapore dollar's appreciation rate to zero per cent, as well as adjust the policy band downwards, the first such move since the Global Financial Crisis. This makes it the first time the MAS had taken these two measures together.[186] Unusually, on 6 April, the central bank also announced that it would bring forward its disclosure of foreign exchange intervention to 9 April. It was previously scheduled to be published in June.[187] In September, Citi argued that a downward re-centring for the MAS SGD NEER in October 2020 could still take place.[188]
Tourism industry
As one of the highly affected by the pandemic, tourism in Singapore has fallen, with the Singapore Tourism Board experiencing its best increase in visitor arrivals from the previous year.[189] Several countries have imposed travel restrictions on Singapore.[190] Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong encouraged Singaporeans to go on a local 'staycation' to mitigate the fall in demand for tourism, but this was not possible during the circuit breaker from 7 April 2020 to 1 June 2020.[191] Retail industry was also affected by the pandemic, though it has been steadily recovering since the transition to phase 3.[192] Connect @ Changi, located at Singapore Expo, was launched on 1 April 2021 to support the revival of Singapore's air hub status and hospitality sector.[193][194]
On 8 May 2021, the UK announced that it would allow people in England to resume international travel from 17 May, but would limit the number of destinations open for quarantine-free holidays to just a handful of countries as it cautiously eases lockdown restrictions. Singapore is among a few countries which made the green list for travel in a system that will be reviewed every three weeks.[195]
Air travel bubbles (ATB)
Travel bubbles, also called travel bridges or corona corridors, do away with that waiting period for a select group of travellers from certain countries where the coronavirus has been contained. "In a 'travel bubble' a set of countries agree to open their borders to each other, but keep borders to all other countries closed.
With New Zealand and Brunei
On 1 September 2020, applications for "green lane" travel bubbles for travellers from New Zealand and Brunei were opened. Visitors from those 2 countries would be required to take a COVID-19 test on arrival at Changi Airport and self-isolate until they received a negative test result, but otherwise did not have to stay in quarantine upon arrival in Singapore. This was provided they have remained in the country for the last consecutive 14 days prior to their visit to Singapore.[196][197]
Following a resurgence in COVID-19 cases in Singapore, Brunei suspended its "green lane" travel bubble on 20 May 2021.[198] In August 2021, it was announced that Singapore's would launch its first quarantine-free travel lanes for vaccinated passengers from Brunei and Germany on 8 September.[199]
With Hong Kong
On 11 November 2020, Hong Kong and Singapore have agreed to launch a travel bubble to restart tourism without needing to quarantine at the other end.[200] It was hoped that having a quarantine-free travel would boost tourism and business between the two Asian hubs cities, though anyone travelling between the two cities will have to undergo a compulsory COVID-19 test before they flew.[201] The travel bubble was scheduled to start on 22 November 2020. However, the day before the launch, both cities announced that it would be deferred by two weeks until early December. This was due to a sudden spike in new infections in Hong Kong.[202][203][204] On 1 December, the launch date was deferred again to beyond December 2020. On 14 December, Singapore increased Hong Kong's quarantine duration to 14 days, up from the previous 7 day arrangement. This showed the complexities involved in opening up, even between countries which had coronavirus infections under control. On 29 March 2021, Singapore resumed discussions with Hong Kong after the latter city experienced a significant decline in its daily local COVID-19 cases.[205] On 26 April, both Singapore and Hong Kong confirmed that the air travel bubble would officially re-launch on 26 May.[206][207] However, after a spike in local infections triggered fresh restrictions in Singapore in late April, Singapore's government stated on 6 May that it would assess any potential changes to the travel bubble.[208] It was eventually announced in August 2021 that the travel bubble would be cancelled,[143] though quarantine requirements for travellersfrom Hong Kong and Macao would be cancelled on 26 August.[209] This also came 9 months after Singapore had cancelled the quarantine requirement for arrivals from China.[210] Tourists from Hong Kong and Macao who have spent three consecutive weeks in those cities could apply to enter Singapore under the Air Travel Pass. They also would not need to quarantine if they test negative on arrival and isolate themselves until the test results are available.[211]
Air Travel Pass (ATP)
Singapore introduced the ATP in late 2020, the predecessor to the VTL. It allowed all travellers who have stayed in specific regions to enter quarantine-free regardless of vaccination status.
The ATP was given to China, Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan, and Victoria State (Australia) due to the low cases in the region. Hong Kong received it after the travel bubble was cancelled in August 2021. However, Hong Kong's ATP was later cancelled in early 2022 and replaced with the VTL (tightening restrictions), while China, Macau, and Taiwan retained the ATP until Singapore retired the VTL and allowed all vaccinated travellers to enter without being on a designated flight.[212][213]
Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)
As part of Singapore's efforts to reopen its borders safely, fully-vaccinated Singaporean citizens and permanent residents would now be allowed to return to Singapore via the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL).[214] On 9 October 2021, it was announced that Singapore would open up more VTLs with other countries, including South Korea and the United States.[215] On 24 March 2022, the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) announced the retirement of all VTLs and the reopening of borders to all vaccinated travellers from 1 April 2022.[216]
With Germany and Brunei
Singapore announced that it would be opening a new VTL arrangement for fully-vaccinated travellers from Germany and Brunei from 8 September 2021. Under this arrangement, travellers could enter Singapore without the need to serve a SHN upon arrival. Instead, they would undergo multiple COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests during their stay in Singapore.[217][218][219]
With Malaysia
On 8 November 2021, Prime Ministers Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore and Ismail Sabri Yaakob of Malaysia announced that a VTL would be opened between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport from 29 November.[220][221]
Subsequently, both nations have agreed to a phased opening of a second VTL through the Johor–Singapore Causeway beginning on 29 November using designated bus lanes, marking the reopening of the land border between the two countries since its closure in March 2020. Only citizens, permanent residents (PRs) and long-term pass holders of the country they are visiting can access this VTL scheme.[222] The second phase, which would allow citizens of both countries to travel between them, began on 20 December.[223]
With Sweden and Finland
Singapore has also included Sweden and Finland in its quarantine-free travel-lane programmes, which comes into effect on 29 November.[224]
With Indonesia, India and the Gulf States
On 15 November, Singapore announced plans to establish "vaccine travel lanes" with Indonesia and India from 29 November 2021. Singapore also plans to expand the VTL scheme to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates from 6 December 2021.[225] From 16 March 2022, Singapore will open VTL access to all Indian cities.[226] Following reports of the circulation of the new Omicron variant, the planned VTLs with the Gulf States was deferred;[227] it was later announced that they would be launched on 25 February 2022. Bi-directional quarantine-free sea travel between Singapore and Indonesia would also resume.[228]
With Hong Kong
A VTL between Singapore and Hong Kong was launched on 25 February 2022, due to the rise in cases. It differs from other VTLs as this was one-way; Hong Kong still imposed a quarantine on all arrivals. This VTL actually tightened restrictions as the previous arrangement, the Air Travel Pass (ATP), allowed all arrivals to enter Singapore quarantine-free regardless of vaccination status.[229][228]
Societal impact
Local shopping
The retail industry has been significantly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the food industry. Foot traffic at shopping malls had dropped,[230] with some shops choosing to shorten their opening hours or face massive closures like Esprit Holdings, Isetan Westgate, Liang Court, H&M Tampines Mall, Topshop, Robinsons and Hotwind.[231] Tenants are pushing landlords for rental rebates, citing significant drops in revenue.[232]
Several malls and landlords including Jewel Changi Airport and CapitaLand have implemented rental rebates.[233][234] The National Environment Agency (NEA) has also implemented rent waivers and rebates for all stallholders in hawker centres operated by NEA or NEA-appointed operators.[235]
According to CapitaLand in February 2020, foot traffic at malls were almost back to normal,[230] before being reduced in late-March to early-April 2020 due to social distancing restrictions and circuit breaker measures.[236] Retail sales fell during the COVID-19 pandemic from March to June, citing circuit breaker as a reason. The April and May figure was the worst since records began in 1986. However, retail sales reinstated gradually in July, August and September but the process was interrupted by public places visited by cases in the community. Foot traffic will again resume back to normal fully once Singapore moves to Phase 3. Retail sales and foot traffic again fell during Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) from 3 May 2021 to 14 June 2021.[237]
In response to the government's lockdown measures, Suntec City announced that it would waive rent for all tenants for the month of April, May and June.[238]
In addition, the Great Singapore Sale was moved online, called e-GSS.[239]
Panic buying and price gouging
Panic buying and price gouging of personal protective equipment (PPEs) such as masks began with the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Singapore on 23 January 2020.[72] By 24 January, both N95 and surgical masks had run out at retail outlets.[240] This has prompted local retailers including NTUC FairPrice, Watsons and Guardian to originally impose limits, but had a surge in demand.[241] In many areas, people began wearing of masks; but on 1 April, the number of people wearing masks had increased to 93%, with masks made mandatory by the government on 14 April. In addition, mask wearing continues to remain until the pandemic has subsided to endemic levels, with the gradual easing of masks done only in the safest outdoor and common housing environment first. The first phase of mask easing which includes outdoors settings came into force on 29 March 2022.[242][243] The second and final phase of mask easing comes on 29 August 2022; which involves the remaining settings.
The shortage of masks and other PPEs has caused many retailers to engage in profiteering by price gouging and scalping.[244] This included both local brick-and-mortar stores as well as retailers on ecommerce platforms.[244][245] The government has applauded platforms Carousell and Qoo10 for threatening to suspend profiteers.[245] The governmental price controller has also issued warnings to retailers who engage in price gouging and requested information from e-commerce platforms on potential profiteers.[244][246][247]
Panic buying and hoarding of essentials such as rice, instant noodles and toilet paper occurred with the raising of the DORSCON level from yellow to orange on 7 February 2020, with empty shelves at supermarkets within hours.[248][249][250] Local supermarket chain NTUC FairPrice imposed limits on the amount of essentials each consumer can buy, with these limits initially set for paper products, rice products, instant noodle packets and vegetables.[251] NTUC FairPrice and Dairy Farm Singapore announced that it would introduce specific hours for those members of the community who were more vulnerable such as Pioneer Generation members. Following the review, supermarkets are considered essential services, therefore there is no need to hoard items, it must be opened every day.[252]
A second wave of panic buying and hoarding occurred on 17 March when Malaysia announced its lockdown from 18 March, sparked by fears of food shortages. The government has clarified that the flow of goods, cargo and food supplies between Singapore and Malaysia will continue, urging the public not to panic buy. They added that Singapore has diverse sources of essential goods and was not facing an immediate shortage of food or essentials.[253] NTUC FairPrice has expanded its list of items that are limited per consumer to include eggs, vegetables and poultry.[254] 10 days later, NTUC FairPrice expanded its list to include canned food, cooking oil and frozen meat, with reduced purchasing limits for paper products.[255]
To deal with the massive increase in online shopping orders, RedMart (Part of Lazada) on 2 April said that it would prioritise daily essentials such as milk powder, flour, eggs and rice while limiting orders to 35 items and reducing its range of goods to focus on the essentials. It also said that it would stop taking orders until 4 April to implement additional measures.[256]
Ahead of tighter measures on 7 April, shoppers queued at shopping malls despite government requests for people to remain at home.[257]
Egg distributors were reporting in June that they now had an oversupply of eggs and were throwing away supplies or culling laying stock.[258]
Events and mass gatherings
As a result of COVID-19 pandemic, many event organisers and organisations, including places of worship have switched events virtually with more than 250 persons and moving on to 50 persons in the second phase. These include COMEX, IT Show, PC Show and SITEX.[259][260][261][262][263][264][265][266] Thaipusam procession had carried on but with up to 500 persons in 2020.[267][268][269]
Mediacorp postponed its Star Awards ceremony to 2021 and held it at the Jewel Changi Airport due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[270] The Shangri-La Dialogue defence summit, which had been held every year in Singapore, was cancelled during the COVID-19 pandemic.[271][272] On 12 June 2020, it was announced that the Singapore Grand Prix, would be cancelled in both 2020 and 2021.[273] Organisers of the Marina Bay Singapore Countdown had announced on 5 November 2020 that there will be no fireworks display and countdown at Marina Bay, instead, light shows will be held instead together with heartland fireworks and that the event would be streamed online and on television by Mediacorp.[274]
On 7 December 2020, organisers of the annual World Economic Forum event announced that they have decided to hold its 2021 annual meeting in Singapore, from 25 to 28 May, instead of its traditional home of Switzerland, which is battling a rising number of coronavirus infections.[275][276] On 3 February 2021, the organisers postponed the annual meeting to 17–20 August due to pandemic-related challenges.[277] It was eventually cancelled on 17 May, with the World Economic Forum's (WEF) citing global uncertainties caused by COVID-19 as the reason. It was added that the next annual meeting will take place in the first half of 2022, with the final location and date to be decided later.[278]
On 4 May 2021, the President's Office announced that the Istana Open House on 13 May would be cancelled.[279] While it was initially announced that it would reopen on 1 August,[280] it was later decided that the event would be postponed to 28 August, in the wake of the rise of community cases in July.[281]
On 30 June 2021, Ng Eng Hen announced that the annual National Day Parade at The Float @ Marina Bay would proceed as planned.[282] Following the return to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert), MINDEF stated that it would be postponed to 21 August, with a ceremonial parade held on 9 August.[283] On 12 July 2022, it was announced that live performances and open houses would return to the Istana.[284]
Wedding ceremonies were also adversely affected by COVID-19. In Risk Level 0 (Heightened Risk), all wedding receptions are not allowed. In Risk Level 1, it was allowed with up to 50 persons without pre-event testing and 250 persons with pre-event testing. In Risk Level 2, it was allowed with up to 100 persons without pre-event testing and 250 persons with pre-event testing. Wedding ceremonies were revamped since the return to P2HA in 2021, to allow wedding receptions for all fully vaccinated persons, up to 100 guests, before raising back to 250 guests.[285]
Transportation
Taxi and private hire vehicles were hit by the impact of COVID-19. A S$77 million package was provided to help them tide through this period, co-funded by the Government, taxi and private-hire companies. In addition, a S$2.7 million fund was set up by the Government and National Trades Union Congress (NTUC) for drivers who are not eligible.[286] In view of the worsening coronavirus impact, the package will be enhanced from May 2020, extending until September 2020. This will cost an additional $95 million.[287] On 6 April, directors of the ComfortDelGro Group (ComfortDelGro, SBS Transit and VICOM) announced its board of directors would take a voluntary 20 per cent cut in directors' fees until the end of 2020.[288]
Various banks have suggested that Singapore Airlines will have a loss in FY21, with OCBC credit analysts Ezien Hoo and Wong Hong Wei arguing that the airline will have to tap the markets for more funds and possibly even need state support.[289]
Singapore Airlines, SilkAir and Scoot have announced plans to slash their capacity. Singapore Airlines slashed nearly all of the capacity until August. The news resulted in STI crashing down by 164.63 (6.83%). Scoot will ground 47 out of the 49 planes they have in their fleet.[290] It was reported on 27 March 2020, SIA received a rescue package of S$19 billion to get over the difficult period.[291] Its major shareholder Temasek Holdings will underwrite the package which contains S$5.3 billion equity and S$9.7 billion convertible note.[291] Singapore's biggest bank DBS will also lend it S$4 billion to help it get over the crisis and position itself for expansion.[291] With the significant reduction in flights, Singapore Airlines agreed to provide some 300 staff to help with possible manpower shortages at hospitals in Singapore and provided some staff to deal with transport ambassadors.[292] It was announced that the airline would consolidate all their Changi Airport operations from 1 May 2020 to Terminal 3.[293] On 14 May 2020, Singapore Airlines announced a full year loss for Financial Year 2019–2020 of S$212 million, this was the first loss in its 48 years of operation.[294][295] On 1 September 2020, Singapore Airlines have announced to reinstate several destinations that have opened up travel such as Bandar Seri Begawan, Auckland, Christchurch, Taipei, Hong Kong, Macau, Hanoi, Brisbane, Perth and Sydney. For airlines, regulations for social distancing are not applicable to save costs. Mask wearing continues to be mandatory and airlines will upgrade their apps to include contact tracing. Overnight flights will also be re-introduced which allows even quieter rides.[296] On 25 June Jetstar Asia Airways announced that it was cutting up to 180 people, almost a quarter of the workforce in Singapore. At the same time they would allow the retirement of five of their A320 fleet, bringing the total down to 13.[297]
The Land Transport Authority announced that all certificate of entitlement (COE) bidding during the COVID-19 lockdown periods would be suspended.[298]
Transport services were gradually reduced in stages. Last train timings were brought forward to early, and transport frequencies were remained to allow safe distancing. Measures also involve imposition of queuing at station exit points.
Cross-border bus services were impacted by Malaysia's Movement Control Order all the way until 30 April 2022, with services 160 and 170 amended to serve only local sectors of its route, while services 170X and 950 were suspended entirely.[299]
As many Singaporeans have worked from home as default, all City Direct and Express services were temporarily suspended from 8 April 2020 to 1 June 2020, and certain services such as 12e, 43e, 518, 661 and 666 were suspended during the impact of COVID-19 manpower, 518 resumed on 27 September 2021.[123][300] Bus service 401 was suspended from April 2020 all the way to 4 June 2022, and all remaining leisure services such as Chinatown Direct, Night, 188R, 963R and 926 were discontinued on 30 June 2022 due to duplication with the MRT and low demand. Train and bus services are no longer extended except for New Year's Eve whereby last train departs City Hall at 1.15 am.[301][302]
Bus services also experienced disruptions when clusters of COVID-19 infection occurred among public bus drivers, forcing both patients and colleagues who were close contacts to self-isolate. In August and September 2021, "slightly under 10%" out of a total of 9,500 bus drivers were affected, resulting in some express services being withdrawn, while waiting times increased for other routes that had to run at a reduced frequency. Bus operators sought to minimize the impact by prioritising high-demand routes, reassigning available drivers as needed.[123][300] In February 2022, another shortage of drivers occurred due to a wave of infections, and SBS Transit was forced to reduce the operating frequency of some routes, with double-decker buses deployed to replace single-deckers in some instances to compensate for capacity.[303]
The quarantine and testing of all foreign workers in dormitories has caused delays in the construction of various MRT projects, including the delay of the Thomson–East Coast line's Stage 2 opening on 28 August 2021, after a few extensions. The LTA has been yet to fully assess the length of delays on the other stages of the line and of other MRT projects.[304]
Scams
Several parties have engaged in scams related to the pandemic. For instance, scammers have pretended to be MOH officials engaging in contact tracing.[305] The MOH and police clarified that no financial details or transfer of money will be requested during contact tracing.[306] The police have also arrested scammers on e-commerce platform Carousell.[307] On 4 April, SPF announced that they had arrested a man for suspected money-laundering offences in relation to a COVID-19 linked scam which saw an overseas pharmaceutical company defrauded to the tune of €6.636 million (S$10.3 million) over the purchase of surgical masks and hand sanitisers.[308] The Ministry of Social and Family Development (MSF) and SPF were investigating possible abuses of the COVID-19 Temporary Relief Fund (TRF), which is supposed to provide financial assistance to those eligible.[309] There were cases of scammers impersonating the Chinese police force asking for many personal details. A total of 394 COVID-19-related scams occurred between January and April, with losses totalling S$1.4 million.[310] There have also been false rumours of National Environment Agency and police officers actively checking residential units to ensure that people were complying with circuit breaker rules.[311]
In 2021, SPF warned about a new type of scams involving oxygen machines. The scammers use compromised WhatsApp accounts to solicit donations for the purchase of oxygen concentrator machines to be sent to India.[312]
International relations
Stranded Malaysia-based workers
On 16 March 2020, the Malaysian government announced the movement control order (MCO) that took effect on 18 March 2020, preventing Malaysians from leaving the country.[313] With approximately 300,000 Malaysians, or almost a tenth of Singapore's labour force working in Singapore, the MCO would have been expected to significantly affect Singapore's economy, including sectors providing essential services.[314]
The MCO caused long queues at immigration checkpoints as Malaysian workers in Singapore scrambled to collect their belongings and return to Singapore, while Singaporeans returned home.[315] Various firms across Singapore rushed to find temporary accommodation for their workers before the MCO took effect.[316] The Singapore government advised workers to try to stay with relatives, friends, and colleagues, and seek housing in hotels, dormitories and rental flats if this was not possible.[317] The government also provided $50 for each worker per day, up to 14 days to support employers finding accommodation.[318] As of 17 March, the government announced that 10,000 Malaysian workers had been matched with temporary housing.[318] Some workers could not immediately find accommodations and resorted to sleeping in public areas.[319] In response, Ministry of Social and Family Development repurposed Jurong East Sports Hall into a temporary relief area for remaining Malaysian workers who were unable to find temporary accommodations immediately after the MCO took effect, while the Ministry of Manpower stepped up patrols to look out for such stranded workers.[320] A number of residents also stepped up to offer their spare rooms to accommodate Malaysian workers at little to no cost.[321]
The MCO resulted in suspension of all bus services between Johor Bahru and Singapore.[299] While the KTMB Shuttle Tebrau train service continues to operate between the two checkpoints, only citizens returning to their respective countries are allowed to board.[322] The lockdown also sparked fears of food shortages, triggering a second wave of panic buying and hoarding of essential items. On 26 April, Malaysia announced that Malaysians wanting to return to Malaysia will need to obtain permits from the Malaysian High Commission in Singapore. However, only 400 of such permits will be issued daily.[323]
Border controls and operations
Singapore began to restrict travellers from entering from 29 January in a progressive manner as a response to localised outbreaks. travellerswere banned gradually in phases between January and 23 March; only people who are in essential services are allowed entry, the last phase requires all travellers to undergo SHN at hotels.[324][325][326][327][328][313][329][330][331][332][333][334][335] Port calls for all cruise vessels were stopped from 13 March as well.[336][337]
Due to the reduced number of flights, Singapore Changi Airport suspended operations at Terminals 2 and 4 in April and May 2020 respectively. Terminal 4 became a Dino-themed funland and vaccination centre.[338][171] Malaysia would also shorten the operating hours of Sultan Iskandar Building at the Johor Causeway to 12 hours daily from 24 April, effectively limiting the Causeway's operating hours.[339] The Second Link crossing would remain open round the clock.[339]
On 28 June 2020, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and his Malaysian counterpart Muhyiddin Yassin agreed that their governments will work together to establish a Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) allowing residents from both nations who hold long-term immigration passes for business and work purposes in the other country to periodically return to their home countries for short-term home leave.[340] The Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) and the Periodic Commuting Arrangement (PCA) were launched in August 2020. The RGL scheme will allow essential business and official travel between the two countries while the PCA scheme will allow Singaporean and Malaysian residents who hold long-term immigration business and work passes to enter for work purposes.[341][342] Travel bubble arrangements with Malaysia, Germany and South Korea were suspended due to emergence of COVID-19 variant of concern,[343] whereas in future, Singapore and Malaysia had plans to recognise each other's COVID-19 vaccine certificates with the goal of restoring cross-border travel.[344]
Cruises were restarted in November but did not have any other port of call other than Singapore. In early December, an 83-year-old man tested positive on board and the ship had to return to Singapore a day early. Subsequent retests of the sample and additional samples proved the original test to be a false positive.[345]
Repatriation efforts
As the pandemic spread throughout the world, the Singapore government had organised several repatriation efforts to bring Singaporeans back from various overseas locations.[346][347] MFA and other governmental agencies subsequently brought back at least 1,000[lower-alpha 2] Singaporeans, permanent residents, and family members stranded at other locations where there were similar lockdowns and suspension of flights: Cambodia,[348] Egypt,[349] Fiji,[350] India,[351] Iran,[352] Nepal,[353] Saudi Arabia,[354] Slovenia,[355] and the UK.[356][357] Most of the evacuees were brought back on direct flights,[348][349][351][354][356] whilst some in Fiji, Iran, Nepal, and Slovenia saw some assistance from other countries.[350][352][353][355] All evacuees had to serve a 14-day Stay Home Notice or be quarantined[358] at designated locations, such as hotels with cost borne by the government,[359][360][361] government quarantine faculties, or at home.
With flights to Wuhan suspended due to the Hubei lockdown, Scoot had offered two one-way flights back to Wuhan for tourists stuck in Singapore.[362] As the travel restrictions began to grow and accumulated into an ongoing ban on short-term visitors arriving or transiting through Singapore which started from 23 March,[335] Singapore had allowed visitors to transit through Singapore if they are being repatriated by various governments.[363] India had repatriated some of its citizens from Singapore in May 2020 on two separate flights.[364][365] In the same flight which Singapore Airlines brought back Singaporeans from Cambodia on 12 April, it also carried Australians heading back to Australia with Singapore being a transit point.[348] It was reported that Singapore and Bangladesh were in discussions to repatriate their respective citizens if necessary.[366]
Assistance to other countries
Both the Singapore government and private sector sent support packages to Indonesia, including test kits and personal protective equipment.[367][368] The Singapore government sent swabs and other supplies to Malaysia to help with sample collection and testing.[369] Temasek Foundation donated 30,000 test kits to India and this was affirmed and thanked by High Commissioner of India to Singapore, Jawed Ashraf.[370] Indian low-cost airline SpiceJet operated flights carrying the test kits and other medical equipment from Singapore to both Bangalore and Chennai.[371][372]
In December 2020, Singapore pledged US$5 million towards COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX), a WHO-led global initiative aimed at securing COVID-19 vaccines for low- and middle-income countries.[373] Together with Switzerland, Singapore co-chairs "Friends of the COVID-19 Vaccine Global Access (COVAX) Facility", which comprises the European Union and the following 14 nations: Australia, Canada, Iceland, Israel, Japan, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Norway, Qatar, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates, and the United Kingdom.[374]
On 26 April 2021, the Singapore Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SICCI) and Little India Shopkeepers Association (LISHA) initiated and launched a relief fund to raise money and support India in its fight against COVID-19.[375]
On 31 August 2021, Singapore agreed to support Australia by sending 500,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech to aid Australia's coronavirus battle exacerbated by Delta variant. Based on the agreement, Australia will return the doses by December 2021.[376]
On 28 September 2021, Singapore sent more than 120,000 doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine to Batam and Riau islands of Indonesia. Similarly, Singapore sent 100,000 doses of Moderna to Brunei on 29 September to help them tackle the pandemic.[377][378]
Economic measures
With the impact of COVID-19 becoming greater, it was becoming clear to analysts that Singapore would need to respond with large scale government spending.[379] In the Budget 2020, the Government provided help in four consecutive budget periods, under Unity Budget,[380] Resilience Budget,[381] Solidarity Budget[382] and Fortitude Budget.[383] All Singaporeans had $600 deposited into the bank account in 2020. In the Budget 2021, the $800 million support package was rolled out, where JSS was further increased to 50 per cent in hardest hit sectors.[384] The government announced on 4 June 2020 that they would be keeping Central Provident Fund contribution rates unchanged as they believed the Jobs Support Scheme would help reduce the burden on employers.[385]
It was announced that the government would draw an additional S$32 billion from past reserves, bringing the total used to S$52 billion. In addition, another S$13 billion will be set aside for contingencies due to the pandemic.[386] Extending and enhancing the JSS, to include higher tiers of wage subsidies and lasting until August, would cost around S$2.9 billion, bringing the total cost to S$23.5 billion.[387] The government introduced a one-off Solidarity Utilities Credit of S$100 for all households since many people were remote working.[388] Food and beverage (F&B) and retail companies would receive up to S$10,000 as part of efforts to digitally transform their businesses, as they are likely to be seriously affected by safe distancing rules.[389] S$2 billion was committed to SGUnited Jobs and Skills Package was announced to create more jobs and traineeships.[390]
To help financial institutions and FinTech companies tide over the COVID-19 pandemic, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) released a $125 million package to help financial institutions and FinTech companies to strengthen long-term capabilities.[391]
On 14 April, the Infocomm Media Development Authority announced that they will launch Public Service Content worth S$8 million and fund 90% of the course fees for Self-Employed Persons under Talent Assistance (T-Assist) Programme. To reduce operating costs, the Film Exhibition and Distribution Licence Fees will be waived from 17 April.[392]
Every Singaporean who would be aged 18 and above in 2020 would receive S$100 worth of SingapoRediscovers vouchers, which can be used for a variety activities to support the local tourism industry. They were planned to be usable between December 2020 and June 2021 and would be paid via SingPass.[393] Additionally, Trip.com has a "Pay It Forward" campaign throughout this usable period, where people can use their vouchers to pay for tourism products for various beneficiary groups.[394] When the vouchers were launched, there were some complaints from Singaporeans about the complex way the vouchers were to be redeemed.[395] On 30 April 2021, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced that the expiry date of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers will be extended to 31 December 2021, and that improvements to the redemption process will be rolled out.[396]
Controversies
Discrimination against healthcare workers
In February 2020, incidents were reported of healthcare workers such as nurses and ambulance drivers being ostracised, as members of the public who feared that their contact with coronavirus patients would pose an infection risk. Such acts were condemned by the authorities, who exhorted the public to show support and appreciation for their work.[397] Ride-hailing service Grab announced the launch of GrabCare, a dedicated service for healthcare workers to obtain transport to and from their work places, in order to alleviate their difficulty of finding rides.[398]
On 12 April 2020, CNA reported that some staff members of Lee Ah Mooi nursing home were evicted by landlords after a cluster of cases was reported at the home.[399]
Living conditions at foreign worker dormitories
Despite effective handling of initial waves of infection, several serious outbreaks in April have brought the situation in Singapore out of control; many analysts points to poor conditions at foreign workers dormitories as a major factor of the failure.[400][401]
The pandemic brought the living conditions at foreign worker dormitories to media attention. Dormitories were reported to be unsanitary and crowded, making preventive measures like social distancing difficult.[402] Retired diplomat Tommy Koh criticised the living conditions, calling it "third world" and "a time bomb waiting to explode".[403] Amnesty International called the situation a "recipe for disaster".[404] Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo vowed to improve the living conditions of foreign workers after the quarantine was handled.[405]
While churches in the 1960s and 1970s historically championed social justice and advocacy for worker rights within the Singaporean civil society, this has declined over the years due to the rise of a middle class and a dependency on state-centric growth.[406] During the pandemic, Singaporean churches sought ways to bring about "neighbourly love" and national prayer. But some criticised this as not being enough to address the inequalities experienced by foreign workers who were disproportionately affected by the virus.[407]
On 9 April, MOM said in a press release that it will improve quality of meals of foreign workers during quarantine and formed a task force to improve the living conditions of foreign workers.[408] As of 25 April 25 dormitories have been gazetted as isolation areas.[409] Some healthy workers are also progressively being moved to numerous empty premises such as SAF camps, HDB blocks, floating hotels and Changi Exhibition Centre.[410][411] On 16 April, Minister for Manpower Josephine Teo said that there will be a "three-pronged strategy"; containing the spread, imposing lockdowns and separating workers in essential services.[412]
Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong has said that the living standards in dormitories have steadily improved over the years, and suggested that the issue was the dormitories being designed for communal living, where migrant workers ate, lived, and cooked together, and that the initial precautions and safeguards put in place to reduce some of the non-essential activities were not sufficient.[413] The government has promised to build new dormitories that are designed with public health in mind and provide more amenities, while some workers will be temporarily moved to makeshift dormitories before the new dormitories are ready.[414]
It is noted that a large majority of COVID-19 cases in Singapore are foreign workers. On 20 April, Singapore reported a peak of 1,426 new cases, of which only 16 were not migrant workers but citizens or permanent residents. Foreign workers had accounted for three-fourths of the total infections in Singapore by then.[400]
Towards the end of July 2020, a spate of attempted and successful suicides among the foreign workers in dormitories raised concerns about the mental well-being of the workers on lockdown.[415][416] Authorities are monitoring the situation and are working with partners and NGOs to enhance their mental health support programmes.[417][418]
Social distancing on public transport
Outside the lockdowns, social distancing was not required when on board public transportation, and it was not practical due to the high volume of commuters.[419][420] The Minister of National Development Lawrence Wong explained that resulting reduction of passenger capacity will involve major society disruptions, such as lateness for work, more unnecessary increase of transportation, more manpower strength and enforcement. Authorities instead urged employers to allow more remote work and flexible work arrangements to reduce the demand for public transport.[420][421] With that, social distancing measures are only implemented in the lockdown periods, with stickers pasted on alternate seats to indicate that they should not be used, and auxiliary officers and transport ambassadors enforcing the rules throughout this period.[422] Public transportation has resumed pre-lockdown operations after the period of lockdown, social distancing stickers were removed on bus and train seats, allowing all seats to be used.[423] Regulations for social distancing were no longer applicable except in fixed queuing area such as in MRT stations and bus interchanges. Mask wearing continues to be mandatory in public transport and most places in Singapore. Since 29 March 2022, mask wearing is optional but still encouraged in some outdoor places in Singapore.[424]
![](../I/Alstom_Metropolis_C830C_interior_(with_COVID-19_signs)_20211122_133443.jpg.webp)
Contact tracing data privacy issues
On 4 January 2021, Minister of State for Home Affairs Desmond Tan announced in Parliament that Bluetooth proximity data from the TraceTogether app and token could be used by the police in criminal investigations, as per the Criminal Procedure Code.[425] This resulted in significant backlash, as the announcement contradicted previous statements that the data would strictly be used for contact tracing; concerns were aired about the transparency of the government and how the personal data would be used, as well as possible infringement on the privacy of citizens. Some users even switched off their apps or left their tokens at home in protest.[426] In response, Minister-in-charge of the Smart Nation Initiative Vivian Balakrishnan clarified that the police could only obtain TraceTogether data through a person involved in the investigation, adding that there were plans to introduce legislation that would restrict police use of TraceTogether data to serious offences such as terrorism or murder.[427] The COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Amendment) Bill was passed on 2 February, which included a possible extension of the COVID-19 Control Order to next year and beyond if the situation does not improve or worsens, as well as the removal of SafeEntry/TraceTogether data at the end of the pandemic.[428]
See also
Notes
- From 10 January 2022, dormitory cases were re-classified together with community cases under "local cases" on the MOH website.
- Distribution of people evacuated by countries:
- Slovenia: 1
- Egypt: 244
- India: 699
- Saudi Arabia: 85
- Fiji: 7
- Total: 1,016
References
- Ritchie, Hannah; Mathieu, Edouard; Rodés-Guirao, Lucas; Appel, Cameron; Giattino, Charlie; Ortiz-Ospina, Esteban; Hasell, Joe; Macdonald, Bobbie; Beltekian, Diana; Dattani, Saloni; Roser, Max (2020–2022). "Coronavirus Pandemic (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
- "COVID - Coronavirus Statistics - Worldometer".
- "Vaccination Statistics". Ministry of Health. Archived from the original on 23 November 2022. Retrieved 23 November 2022.
- "Ending circuit breaker: phased approach to resuming activities safely". gov.sg. 28 May 2020. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- Welle (www.dw.com), Deutsche (29 August 2021). "Coronavirus digest: Singapore is now the most-vaccinated country | DW | 29.08.2021". DW.COM. Deutsche Welle. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
- "COVID-19 Vaccination". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- Hannah Ritchie; Edouard Mathieu; Lucas Rodés-Guirao; Cameron Appel; Charlie Giattino; Esteban Ortiz-Ospina; Joe Hasell; Bobbie MacDonald; Diana Beltekian; Saloni Dattani; Max Roser (2020–2021). "Coronavirus Cases (COVID-19)". Our World in Data. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
- "COVID-19 Mortality Analyses". Johns Hopkins University of Medicine.
- Barron, Laignee (13 March 2020). "What We Can Learn From Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong About Handling Coronavirus". Time. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- Geddie, John; Aravindan, Aradhana (17 September 2020). "Why is Singapore's COVID-19 death rate the world's lowest". Reuters. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2020.
- "COVID-19 Vaccination". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 23 June 2022.
- Goh, Timothy (22 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: MOH sets up multi-ministry taskforce, advises against non-essential trips to Wuhan". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2020.
- "Multi-Ministry Taskforce on Wuhan Coronavirus: Terms of Reference (TORs) and Composition" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 21 March 2020.
- "Singapore contributes US$500,000 to support WHO efforts against COVID-19". CNA. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- Chew, Hui Min (14 December 2020). "Singapore to start Phase 3 of COVID-19 reopening on Dec 28". CNA. Retrieved 14 December 2020.
- Jalelah Abu Baker (4 May 2021). "Cap of 5 people for social gatherings, household visits to return as Singapore tightens COVID-19 measures". CNA. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- "Updates on Local Situation and Heightened Alert to Minimise Transmission". moh.gov.sg. 14 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- Jalelah Abu Baker (10 June 2021). "Up to 5 in a group allowed from Jun 14; dining-in may resume on Jun 21 in phased easing of COVID-19 curbs". CNA. Retrieved 2 July 2021.
- "Going Back to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)". www.moh.gov.sg. 20 July 2021. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- "Resuming Our Transition to COVID Resilience". www.moh.gov.sg. 20 November 2021. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
- "Further Easing of Community Measures". Ministry of Health. 22 April 2022.
- Lim, Vanessa; Mohan, Matthew (9 February 2023). "Mask-wearing no longer mandatory on public transport from Feb 13, as Singapore steps down COVID-19 restrictions". Channel Newsasia. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- Lim, Vanessa (9 February 2023). "Singapore to scrap all COVID-19 border measures from Feb 13". Channel Newsasia. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- "Thinner crowds at 4 wet markets with restricted entry; NEA says IC requirement to be enforced from Apr 24". CNA. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- "MOH | News Highlights". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- Low, Zoey (22 April 2021). "TraceTogether-only SafeEntry required from Jun 1 at all higher-risk venues". CNA. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- "Singapore launches TraceTogether mobile app to boost COVID-19 contact tracing efforts". channelnewsasia.com. 20 March 2020. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- "How does TraceTogether work?". Government Technology Agency. Archived from the original on 31 May 2020. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- Tan, Adeline (22 April 2022). "TraceTogether no longer required in most settings from April 26 | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 11 July 2022.
- "Users can uninstall TraceTogether app, return tokens from Feb 13 to Mar 12". Channel Newsasia. 9 February 2023. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
- "Government Accepts Recommendations of Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination". moh.gov.sg. 27 December 2020. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
- "Second COVID-19 Pandemic Vaccine Authorised for Use in Singapore". moh.gov.sg. 3 February 2021. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- Ministry of Health (Singapore) data, updated daily: Updates on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Local Situation
Consolidated view: Official Update of COVID -19 Situation in Singapore - "Novel Coronavirus". World Health Organization. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
- "Mystery pneumonia virus probed in China". BBC News. 3 January 2020. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 29 January 2020.
- hermesauto (31 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: WHO declares China virus outbreak an international emergency". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- hermesauto (31 January 2020). "WHO declares Wuhan virus a 'global health emergency': What does that mean?". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 15 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- "Eight More Confirmed Cases of COVID-19 Infection". MOH. 13 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
- Goh, Timothy; Kaur, Karamjit (28 February 2020). "New coronavirus cluster at company in Science Park II with 4 staff infected, including 2 new cases announced". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 February 2020. Retrieved 28 February 2020.
- "Construction at Seletar Aerospace Heights halted since first COVID-19 case reported". CNA. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- "Singapore reports 73 new COVID-19 cases, new cluster involving PCF Sparkletots centre linked to 18 cases". CNA. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
- Choo, Yun Ting (5 March 2020). "5 new Covid-19 cases in S'pore: 4 linked to new cluster involving Safra Jurong private dinner". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Yong, Clement (30 March 2020). "35 new Covid-19 cases in S'pore, 3 new clusters – a bar in Circular Road, a dormitory in Seletar North Link and a serviced apartment in Wilby Road". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- "233 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, 7 new clusters including MBS restaurant and McDonald's". CNA. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- Yong, Clement (25 April 2020). "7 new Covid-19 clusters in S'pore, including Northpoint City in Yishun; 597 of 618 new cases are workers in dormitories". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- Ng, Charmaine; Iau, Jean (30 April 2020). "58-year-old S'porean woman dies from coronavirus, the 15th death here; 12 new clusters identified, including IMH". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 30 April 2020. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
- "Singapore facing two separate outbreaks: in the community and in foreign worker dormitories". The Straits Times. 21 April 2020. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: Cases at dormitories, construction sites and other linked clusters". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 20 April 2020.
- "COVID-19 Statistics: Situation Report Summary Table". Ministry of Health (Singapore).
- "COVID-19 Statistics". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- "MOH | News Highlights". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
- Asokan, Ainslee (1 October 2020). "Singapore's daily count of imported cases exceeds dormitory infections for the first time in 6 months". CNA. Retrieved 2 October 2020.
- Yong, Michael (13 October 2020). "Timeline: No new COVID-19 case in Singapore's dormitories for the first time in more than 6 months". CNA. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- "14 new community COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 5 unlinked infections". CNA. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 15 June 2021.
- Timothy Goh (27 June 2022). "Baby dies after getting Covid-19; first death in Singapore of patient under 12". The Straits Times. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- "Crunching the numbers for coronavirus". Imperial News. Archived from the original on 19 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- "High consequence infectious diseases (HCID); Guidance and information about high consequence infectious diseases and their management in England". GOV.UK. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- "World Federation Of Societies of Anaesthesiologists – Coronavirus". wfsahq.org. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
- "Coronavirus: why so few deaths among Singapore's 14,000 infections?". South China Morning Post. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- Aravindan, John Geddie, Aradhana (18 September 2020). "Why is Singapore's COVID-19 death rate the world's lowest". Reuters. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Harrigan, Nicholas; Koh, Chiu Yee. "Vital yet vulnerable: Mental and emotional health of South Asian migrant Workers in Singapore". ink.library.smu.edu.sg. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "Why Singapore has relatively low Covid-19 death rate". The Straits Times. 25 June 2020. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- "Covid-19 testing completed for all migrant workers in dormitories, says MOM, agencies". Today. Singapore. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
- "Controlling the Outbreak, Preparing for the Next Phase". moh.gov.sg. 12 May 2020. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
We are still picking up many cases every day across the dormitories... because of our extensive testing regime, covering the workers who are well and asymptomatic.
- ALVAREZ, Marlene (4 May 2020). "COVID-19 Cases and Case Fatality Rate by age". Knowledge for policy – European Commission. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "MOH | News Highlights". www.moh.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- "4 main reasons why Singapore has one of the lowest death rates from Covid-19". 18 September 2020.
- "Why is Singapore's COVID-19 death rate the world's lowest". Reuters. 18 September 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "Much lower Covid-19 prevalence rate in community than among migrant workers, according to study". The Straits Times. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- "47 per cent of migrant workers in S'pore dorms have had a Covid-19 infection, say Manpower and Health Ministries". The Straits Times. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- Chang, Ai-Lien (4 January 2020). "Wuhan pneumonia: First suspected case reported in Singapore". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 15 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
- Abdullah, Zhaki (23 January 2020). "Singapore confirms first case of Wuhan virus". CNA. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
- "Singapore confirms 3 new cases of Wuhan virus; total of 10 infected". CNA. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- hermesauto (30 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: 3 more confirmed cases in Singapore, bringing total to 13". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Goh, Timothy (31 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: First Singaporean case confirmed; she was on Scoot flight from Wuhan". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- hermes (24 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: Close contacts to be quarantined as MOH begins contact tracing". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- hermes (9 February 2020). "Coronavirus: How contact tracers track down the people at risk of infection". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Chang, Ai-Lien; Khalik, Salma (4 February 2020). "Coronavirus: S'pore reports first cases of local transmission; 4 out of 6 new cases did not travel to China". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 February 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2020.
- "FOUR MORE CONFIRMED CASES OF NOVEL CORONAVIRUS INFECTION IN SINGAPORE". moh.gov.sg. 5 February 2020. Archived from the original on 5 February 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Chang, Ai-Lien; Khalik, Salma (7 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Singapore ups outbreak alert to orange as more cases surface with no known links; more measures in force". The Straits Times. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- "Novel coronavirus: S'pore moves to Dorscon Orange, as 3 new cases confirmed with no apparent link to previous trimcases or recent travel to China". Today. Singapore. Retrieved 7 February 2020.
- "PM Lee Hsien Loong on the Novel Coronavirus (nCoV) Situation in Singapore on 8 February 2020". Prime Minister's Office (Singapore). 8 February 2020. Archived from the original on 15 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- Belluz, Julia (14 February 2020). "Why the coronavirus outbreak might be much bigger than we know". Vox. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
- hermes (12 March 2020). "Two of Singapore's earliest clusters no longer active and are officially closed". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Goh, Timothy; Kurohi, Rei (25 February 2020). "Grace Assembly coronavirus mystery solved: Antibody tests linked mega cluster to 2 Wuhan tourists via CNY party and Life Church cluster in a world-first". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- "Advisory for Singaporean Students Studying Overseas". mfa.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- Lin, Jessica. "Over 70% of Singapore's new Covid-19 cases the past 4 days were imported – and most were Singapore residents and long-term pass holders, Business Insider – Business Insider Singapore". businessinsider.sg. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: Nearly 20,000 foreign workers in quarantine in S11 Dormitory, Westlite Toh Guan". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- Bhandare, Namita. "Singapore's Coronavirus Success Story Hits a Snag". Foreign Policy. Archived from the original on 3 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- hermesauto (21 April 2020). "Coronavirus: All foreign workers in dormitories to stop work until 4 May". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: 20,000 migrant workers to be discharged by end-May, but cases from dormitories likely to remain high". CNA. Archived from the original on 22 May 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- "MOH | News Highlights". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 18 September 2020.
- "11 July 2020 Daily Report on COVID-19" (PDF).
- "All Dormitories Declared Cleared Of COVID-19". Ministry of Manpower Singapore. Retrieved 17 August 2020.
- "1 October 2020 Daily Report on COVID-19" (PDF).
- "MOH | News Highlights". www.moh.gov.sg. Retrieved 13 October 2020.
- hermesauto (16 October 2020). "Active Covid-19 cases fall below 100 for the first time in Singapore since 12 March". The Straits Times. Retrieved 17 October 2020.
- "Last COVID-19 cluster closes; no active cluster in Singapore for the first time since pandemic began". CNA. Retrieved 25 November 2020.
- "Singapore confirms first case of new coronavirus variant found in UK". Reuters. 24 December 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- "Singapore reports 5 COVID-19 community cases, forming 2 new clusters". CNA. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
- "30 new COVID-19 cases in Singapore, including 2 in community, forming new cluster linked to para-vet". CNA. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
- "Another COVID-19 cluster formed; 4 community cases among 30 new infections in Singapore". CNA. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- "New COVID-19 cluster formed after 3 cases linked to sales employee at BS Industrial & Construction Supply". CNA. Retrieved 21 January 2021.
- "Demand for new maids high despite extra costs amid COVID-19 restrictions, risk of imported cases". CNA. Retrieved 20 January 2021.
- Asia, T. T. G. "Singapore further tightens border measures for travellers from India | TTG Asia". www.ttgasia.com. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- "New COVID-19 cluster in Singapore linked to imported case who was 'probably reinfected' in India". CNA. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- "5 community cases among 23 new COVID-19 infections in Singapore". CNA. Retrieved 24 April 2021.
- "16 new community COVID-19 cases in Singapore, highest in more than 9 months". CNA. Retrieved 29 April 2021.
- "Updates on Local Situation, Border Measures for Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, Thailand and Precautionary Measures to Minimise Transmission from Tan Tock Seng Hospital Cluster". moh.gov.sg. 30 April 2021. Retrieved 30 April 2021.
- Ng, Abigail (4 May 2021). "Singapore says it has detected the 'double mutant' Covid variant from India in its community, tightens restrictions". CNBC. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- hermesauto (14 May 2021). "No dining in, social gatherings capped at 2 people from May 16 as S'pore tightens Covid-19 rules". The Straits Times. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
- "COVID-19: Primary, secondary schools and JCs to move to full home-based learning from May 19". CNA. Retrieved 16 May 2021.
- Jalelah Abu Baker (10 June 2021). "Up to 5 in a group allowed from Jun 14; dining-in to resume on Jun 21 in phased easing of COVID-19 curbs". CNA (Channel NewsAsia). Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- "Lower primary, lower secondary students to continue with home-based learning after June holidays". CNA. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- "Dining-in to resume from Jun 21 but in groups of two, not five". CNA. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- "8 new locally transmitted COVID-19 cases in Singapore; employees at 3 KTV venues to be tested following infections". CNA. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- "42 new COVID-19 cases linked to KTV cluster; situation 'troubling and disappointing', says Ong Ye Kung". CNA. Retrieved 15 July 2021.
- "Updates on Phase 3 (Heightened Alert) Measures". www.moh.gov.sg. 7 July 2021. Retrieved 7 July 2021.
- Ang Hwee Min (20 July 2021). "Return to Phase 2 Heightened Alert: Dining-in to be suspended, group sizes back down to 2". CNA. Retrieved 20 July 2021.
- "Preparing For Our Transition towards COVID Resilience". www.moh.gov.sg. 6 August 2021. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
- Chia, Osmond (23 August 2021). "94 new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases in S'pore, including 59 linked to dormitory in Woodlands". The Straits Times. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- Tan, Cheryl (24 August 2021). "New Covid-19 cluster at Bugis Junction with 20 staff infected; free testing for those who visited from Aug 17 to 24". The Straits Times. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
- Co, Cindy (30 August 2021). "A timeline of COVID-19 cases among staff at 8 bus interchanges". CNA.
- "Updates on Local Situation and Maintaining the Stabilisation Measures". www.moh.gov.sg. 20 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2021.
- "COVID-19: Dining-in group size limit at regular F&B outlets down to 2 from Monday; social gatherings reduced". CNA. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- "Work-from-home to be default from Monday as COVID-19 workplace measures tightened". CNA. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- Gene, Ng Keng (1 October 2021). "MOH unveils new Covid-19 map: Areas in Jurong, Bedok, Sengkang among those frequently visited by cases". The Straits Times. ISSN 0585-3923. Retrieved 1 October 2021.
- "Singapore's Covid Infection Rate Jumps as Omicron Cases Rise". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- Ang Hwee Min (11 March 2022). "Singapore to implement streamlined COVID-19 measures from Mar 15 as Omicron wave wanes". CNA. Retrieved 12 March 2022.
- "Easing of Community SMMS and Border Measures". moh.gov.sg.
- Chelvan, Vanessa Paige (24 April 2022). "Number of safe distancing ambassadors to be reduced as Singapore eases COVID-19 restrictions: MSE". CNA. Retrieved 25 April 2022.
- Ian Cheng (15 May 2022). "Singapore detects three COVID-19 cases infected with new BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants". CNA. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- Jalelah Abu Baker (2 June 2022). "Preparing for next COVID-19 infection wave: Ong Ye Kung outlines steps on how the healthcare system can be ready". CNA. Retrieved 28 June 2022.
- "Emerging Safer and Stronger Together". www.moh.gov.sg. 24 August 2022.
- "Singapore records 6,888 new Covid-19 cases; experts say spike in cases could be due to F1 Grand Prix, travel". AsiaOne. 5 October 2022.
- "Travellers entering Singapore serving stay-home notice outside of facilities to wear electronic device". CNA. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
- "Singapore to waive off stay-home notices". Retrieved 22 August 2020.
- "COVID-19: Singapore to lift border restrictions for some visitors from Australia, Vietnam". CNA. Retrieved 30 September 2020.
- Toh, Ting Wei (29 October 2020). "Singapore to allow travellers from China, Australia's Victoria from 6 Nov; no quarantine if Covid-19 test negative". The Straits Times. Retrieved 29 October 2020.
- Lee, Yen Nee (12 October 2020). "Here's how Singapore plans to resume international travel safely". CNBC. Retrieved 12 October 2020.
- "Singapore, Hong Kong to defer air travel bubble launch". CNA. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
- Standard, The. "Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble plan declared dead". The Standard. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- Toh, Ting Wei; Huang, Claire (20 August 2021). "Singapore, Hong Kong scrap travel bubble due to different Covid-19 strategies". The Straits Times. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- "MOH | COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations". moh.gov.sg.
- "COVID-19 court cases: Why have some people not been charged?". CNA.
- "COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) Act 2020 – Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg.
- "COVID-19 (Temporary Measures) (Control Order) Regulations 2020 – Singapore Statutes Online". sso.agc.gov.sg.
- "140 Work Passes Revoked for Breach of Circuit Breaker Measures, Stay-Home Notices or Quarantine Orders". Ministry of Manpower Singapore. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- "Woodlands double murder: Man to hang after losing apex court appeal for killing daughter, pregnant wife". Today. 23 February 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- "Mastermind who recruited and gave instructions to drug couriers gets death penalty". The Straits Times. 15 May 2020. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- "Man sentenced to death via Zoom for drug trafficking acquitted after appeal with new evidence". CNA. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- "Man hanged in Singapore amid concern over surge of execution notices". The Guardian. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 22 July 2022.
- "Singapore's pre-execution photos seek to soften a policy activists say doesn't work". CNN Philippines. 23 October 2022. Retrieved 30 October 2022.
- "Tangaraju Suppiah: Singapore executes man for supplying cannabis". BBC. 26 April 2023.
- "Singapore executes second prisoner in three weeks for trafficking drugs". Malay Mail. 17 May 2023.
- "Singapore executes first woman in nearly two decades for drug trafficking". CNN. 28 July 2023.
- "Singapore executes third prisoner in 2 weeks for drug trafficking". AP News. 3 August 2023.
- "Man on death row for helping to traffic drugs acquitted in Court of Appeal's first fully virtual hearing". CNA. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- "Apex court acquits man of drug trafficking, spares him from death penalty". TODAY. 23 April 2020. Retrieved 1 November 2022.
- "Singapore cuts 2020 GDP forecast range to −0.5% to 1.5% due to COVID-19 outbreak". Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Lee, Yen Nee (26 March 2020). "Singapore expects its economy to shrink in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic". CNBC. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 26 March 2020.
- hermesauto (26 May 2020). "S'pore heads for deeper recession: 2020 growth forecast cut to between −7 and −4% on Covid-19 impact". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- "World Economic Outlook, October 2019: Global Manufacturing Downturn, Rising Trade Barriers". IMF. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- "World Economic Outlook, October 2020: A Long and Difficult Ascent". IMF. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- hermes (23 April 2020). "Citi: Singapore economy set to shrink by 8.5% this year". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- "Moody's cuts outlook for Singapore banks on COVID-19 fallout". CNA. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- Vishnoi, Abhishek (9 April 2020). "Singapore Partial Lockdown to Cost Economy S$10 Billion". Bloomberg.com. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: Construction projects could be delayed months, as contractors fear manpower crunch when clearing backlog". CNA. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 26 April 2020.
- "About 3,800 companies closed down in April; expect uptick in coming months: Chee Hong Tat". CNA. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- Toh, Ting Wei (6 April 2020). "Parliament: Changi Airport T2 operations to be suspended for 18 months amid coronavirus outbreak". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 7 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- "Changi Airport Terminal 4 to suspend operations amid COVID-19 pandemic". CNA. Archived from the original on 17 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- Wong, Kai Yi (16 January 2020). "Changi Airport's Terminal 2 to get extensive makeover with more space, nature-inspired design". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 7 April 2020.
- "Consolidation of Terminal Operations | Singapore Changi Airport". www.changiairport.com. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- Lee, Yen Nee (23 November 2020). "Singapore's economy is set to rebound in 2021 as third-quarter contraction slows". CNBC. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- "Singapore's total employment plunges in Q1, sharpest drop since SARS". CNA. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 29 April 2020.
- hermes (11 May 2020). "Singapore firms trying to retain foreign staff, but this group likely first to go". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- Phua, Rachel (15 June 2020). "Singapore's jobless rate highest in 10 years, total employment registers record decline in Q1". CNA. Retrieved 15 June 2020.
- "Genting Singapore's Resorts World Sentosa lays off staff". Reuters. 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- hermesauto (15 July 2020). "Resorts World Sentosa to retrench staff amid 'devastating impact' of Covid-19 pandemic". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- "SIA Group To Rationalise Staff Numbers Amid Unprecedented Global Aviation Crisis". singaporeair.com. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- hermesauto (15 September 2020). "UOB freezes wages, slows hiring amid continued fallout from Covid-19". The Straits Times. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- Tan, Sue-Ann (23 March 2020). "Singapore core inflation turned negative in February, 1st time in decade, as coronavirus upends travel". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- Tang, See Kit (9 March 2020). "Singapore stocks near 4-year low as oil rout, COVID-19 fears send investors 'dumping everything'". CNA. Retrieved 10 March 2020.
- "Global stocks plunge into bear market with pandemic declared, Trump travel ban; STI down 3.8%". The Straits Times. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- "MAS brings forward monetary policy statement, firming easing bets". CNA. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- Subhani, Ovais (30 March 2020). "MAS sets zero appreciation path for Singdollar at lower level in easing move as economy heads for recession". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
- "Singapore central bank brings forward disclosure of forex intervention operations". CNA. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- Leow, Annabeth (25 August 2020). "MAS expected to stand pat on Singapore dollar despite inflation slide". The Business Times. Retrieved 15 September 2020.
- Tay, Tiffany Fumioko (11 February 2020). "Singapore's visitor arrivals down by about 20,000 a day amid coronavirus outbreak". Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "Coronavirus: Which countries have imposed travel restrictions?". The Straits Times. 25 February 2020. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
- "Netizens appreciate PM Lee's call to supporting local tourism; but some say it's too expensive". The Online Citizen. 5 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- hermesauto (24 November 2020). "Singapore retailers' reliance on local demand may not be sustainable: Survey". The Straits Times. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- "Connect Singapore boosts Singapore efforts to re-open borders in controlled and safe manner". mti.gov.sg. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- "Connect@Singapore Pilot | STB". www.stb.gov.sg. Retrieved 20 March 2021.
- "Britain to reopen foreign holidays to just a handful of countries". Reuters. 6 May 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- "Singapore opens 'travel bubble' for New Zealanders – Australasian Leisure Management". ausleisure.com.au. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- "Singapore opens New Zealand travel bubble". Executive Traveller. 21 August 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- "COVID-19: Brunei suspends reciprocal green lane arrangement with Singapore". CNA. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
- "Singapore to launch its first vaccinated travel lanes with Germany and Brunei". CNA. Retrieved 21 August 2021.
- "Hong Kong Singapore Air Travel Bubble". www.tourism.gov.hk. Retrieved 3 July 2021.
- Jessie Yeung and Pauline Lockwood. "Hong Kong and Singapore confirm date for launch of new 'travel bubble'". CNN. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- "Hong Kong-Singapore travel bubble delay dims rebound hopes". Bangkok Post. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- "Covid-19: Hong Kong-Singapore travel corridor postponed". BBC News. 21 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
- Nectar Gan, Akanksha Sharma and Pauline Lockwood. "The much-hyped Hong Kong-Singapore 'travel bubble' is postponed amid Covid-19 spike". CNN. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
- "Singapore studying proposal from Hong Kong to reopen borders safely: Ong Ye Kung". CNA. Retrieved 30 March 2021.
- "Singapore, Hong Kong to relaunch travel bubble on May 26". CNA. Retrieved 26 April 2021.
- "Singapore, Hong Kong Delay Travel Bubble Announcement Again". Bloomberg L.P. 22 April 2021. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- "Singapore monitoring COVID-19 situation as cases rise ahead of Hong Kong travel bubble". CNA. Retrieved 8 May 2021.
- "Singapore cuts quarantine for Hong Kong, even as travel bubble bursts". South China Morning Post. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- Auto, Hermes (29 October 2020). "Singapore to allow travellers from China, Australia's Victoria from Nov 6; no quarantine if Covid-19 test negative | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- "Next Steps in Our Transition towards COVID-resilience". www.moh.gov.sg. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
- Auto, Hermes (24 March 2022). "All vaccinated travellers can enter Singapore without quarantine from April 1, no need for VTL flights | The Straits Times". www.straitstimes.com. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- "Air Travel Pass". www.mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- "Vaccinated Travel Lane". safetravel.ica.gov.sg. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- Ahmad Zhaki Abdullah (9 October 2021). "Singapore to extend vaccinated travel lane scheme to eight more countries, including US, UK, Spain". CNA. Retrieved 11 October 2021.
- Lim, Vanessa (24 March 2022). "Singapore to reopen borders to all fully vaccinated travellers on Apr 1; existing VTLs will be retired". CNA. Retrieved 24 March 2022.
- "Singapore - Germany Vaccinated Travel Lane: All you need to know". The Milelion. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- "Singapore introduces Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)". Royal Brunei Airlines. 19 August 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- "New travel arrangement for fully-vaccinated visitors from Germany, Brunei from 8 Sept". news.yahoo.com. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
- Davina Tham (8 November 2021). "Singapore, Malaysia to launch vaccinated travel lane between Changi Airport and KLIA". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
- Noorshahrizam, Shahrin (8 November 2021). "Singapore, Malaysia to allow quarantine-free travel between KLIA and Changi from Nov 29". Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- Matthew Mohan (24 November 2021). "Singapore-Malaysia land VTL to be launched on Nov 29, travellers must use designated bus services". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
- Matthew Mohan (14 December 2021). "Singapore citizens can enter Malaysia via land VTL, and vice versa, from Dec 20". Channel News Asia. Retrieved 14 December 2021.
- Ng, Abigail (8 November 2021). "Singapore introduces more 'vaccinated travel lanes' to include Malaysia, Sweden and Finland". CNBC. Archived from the original on 8 November 2021. Retrieved 9 November 2021.
- Toh, Ting Wei (15 November 2021). "S'pore to start VTLs with Indonesia and India from Nov 29, and with Qatar, UAE, Saudi Arabia from Dec 6". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 15 November 2021. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
- "Singapore Takes Further Steps to Extend Vaccinated Travel Lane" (PDF). www.caas.gov.sg. 11 March 2022. Retrieved 11 March 2022.
- "Deferment of Vaccinated Travel Lanes with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates". www.moh.gov.sg. 28 November 2021. Retrieved 29 November 2021.
- "Resetting our measures to live with Omicron variant". 16 February 2022.
- "Singapore announces new VTLs with Hong Kong and others, streamlines border measures". CNA. Retrieved 7 May 2022.
- Sen, Siow Li (26 February 2020). "Singapore malls foot traffic almost back to normal: CapitaLand". Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Rosli, Tatiana Mohamad (24 February 2020). "F&B sector hit hard by early mall closures during outbreak". Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "'If this goes on, I might quit': Mall tenants want rental rebates soon to counter COVID-19 hit". Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Heng, Melissa (5 March 2020). "Coronavirus: CapitaLand to give 1,000 tenants rental rebates". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Lim, Janice (13 February 2020). "'Big collapse' of F&B businesses looms; landlords should slash rent like Jewel Changi Airport, say industry players". Today. Singapore. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "About 14,000 hawkers to get a month's worth of rental fees waived amid COVID-19 outbreak". Archived from the original on 5 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- hermesauto (28 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Crowds thin at Orchard Road as safe distancing measures take effect". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- "Singapore retail sales plunge 40.5% in April amid COVID-19 circuit breaker measures". CNA. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "Suntec City waives April rent for all tenants amid enhanced 'circuit breaker' rules". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- Tay, Tiffany Fumiko (4 May 2020). "Great Singapore Sale cancelled this year amid Covid-19 outbreak". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 23 May 2020. Retrieved 23 May 2020.
- "N95, surgical masks run out at retail outlets; MOH assures public there is enough stock". CNA. 24 January 2020. Archived from the original on 31 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Chia, Rachel Genevieve (28 January 2020). "'Which outlet has stock?': Furious netizens are slamming Watsons, Guardian and NTUC for posting about surgical mask stocks, claiming stores have totally run out". Business Insider Singapore. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "PM Lee Hsien Loong on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore on 3 April 2020". PMO. 3 April 2020. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- Ang, Hwee Min; Phua, Rachel (14 April 2020). "COVID-19: Compulsory to wear mask when leaving the house, says Lawrence Wong". CNA. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- "Retailer Deen Express asked to explain high prices for masks: MTI". CNA. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 30 January 2020.
- Heng, Janice (30 January 2020). "Singapore retailers, e-commerce platforms asked to cooperate in stopping mask profiteering". The Business Times. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "Retailer 3 Stars asked to explain high prices for masks following public complaints: MTI". CNA. 11 February 2020. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Tay, Tiffany Fumioko (31 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: Authorities crack down on profiteering by mask sellers". The Straits Times. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "No need to rush for supplies, says Chan Chun Sing, amid reports of surge in demand". CNA. Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "Enough supply of essentials, Govt assures S'poreans after panic buying at supermarkets". Today Online. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Ng, Michelle (8 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Ample stock in Singapore, no need to hoard, says FairPrice group CEO". Archived from the original on 7 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Jamrisko, Michelle (8 February 2020). "Singapore Grocery Chain Starts Limiting How Much People Can Buy". Bloomberg. Archived from the original on 11 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "COVID-19: Supermarkets launch dedicated shopping hours for 'vulnerable segments' of community". CNA. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 24 March 2020.
- "COVID-19: There's no need to rush to buy essential items". gov.sg. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- Ang, Hwee Min (17 March 2020). "Purchase limits imposed at FairPrice supermarkets on vegetables, rice, toilet paper and other products". CNA. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 17 March 2020.
- Yong, Clement (27 March 2020). "NTUC FairPrice lowers paper product limit, adds cooking oil, canned food, frozen poultry to shopping cap list". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 27 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- Heng, Melissa (2 April 2020). "Coronavirus: RedMart to limit orders and focus on essentials as online grocery orders surge". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "Long queues at some malls as shoppers rush to prepare for closure of schools and most workplaces". CNA. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
- hermesauto (19 June 2020). "Coronavirus: Egg distributors struggling to deal with oversupply". The Straits Times. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
- Baharudin, Hariz (14 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Catholic Church to suspend mass indefinitely, advises public events to be suspended too". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 1 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
- "Catholic Church to resume mass, puts necessary COVID-19 precautionary measures in place". CNA. 5 March 2020. Archived from the original on 6 March 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
- "COVID-19: Catholic masses to remain suspended, says Archbishop of Singapore". CNA. 12 March 2020. Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Chia, Rachel Genevieve. "Event cancellations and livestreaming announced by religious sites after virus cases linked to churches hits 23, Business Insider – Business Insider Singapore". Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 6 March 2020.
- Baharudin, Hariz (12 March 2020). "All mosques here to be closed for five days for cleaning, Friday prayers cancelled". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- Baharudin, Hariz (24 March 2020). "All Singapore mosques to be closed until further notice given higher risk of community spread". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020.
- Chow, Alexander; Kurlberg, Jonas (November 2020). "Two or Three Gathered Online: Asian and European Responses to COVID-19 and the Digital Church" (PDF). Studies in World Christianity. 26 (3): 298–318. doi:10.3366/swc.2020.0311. hdl:20.500.11820/01990e2e-a9ea-47c4-bf8f-a0315bab65da. S2CID 226353248.
- "Coronavirus and religious worship in Singapore: Attendance at Hindu, Sikh temples drop". The Straits Times. 21 March 2020. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- Goh, Yan Han (7 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Thermal scanners, extra hand washing points for Thaipusam procession in Singapore". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- Ang, Yiying (8 February 2020). "Devotees turn up for Thaipusam procession, temples take extra measures". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- Goh, Yan Han (7 February 2020). "Coronavirus: Turnout halved to about 3,000 at Lantern Festival celebrations at Loyang temple". The Straits Times. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- "Mediacorp postpones Star Awards 2020 over COVID-19 concerns". CNA. 19 February 2020. Archived from the original on 19 February 2020. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
- "Shangri-La Dialogue 2020 cancelled over COVID-19 pandemic". CNA. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 28 March 2020.
- "Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore cancelled amid uncertain COVID-19 situation". CNA. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
- Matthew Mohan (12 June 2020). "2020 Singapore Grand Prix cancelled due to 'continuing nationwide restrictions' brought about by COVID-19 pandemic". CNA. Retrieved 12 June 2020.
- "No fireworks at Marina Bay on New Year's Eve amid COVID-19 pandemic". CNA. 5 November 2020. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
- Allassan, Fadel. "2021 World Economic Forum to be held in Singapore instead of Davos". Axios. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "Special Annual Meeting 2021 in Singapore from 25–28 May". World Economic Forum. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "Davos 2021 summit in Singapore postponed until August". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
- "World Economic Forum cancels special annual meeting in Singapore". CNA. Retrieved 18 May 2021.
- "Istana cancels May 13 open house amid COVID-19 concerns". CNA. 4 May 2021. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
- "Istana to reopen grounds to public to mark National Day; first open house since COVID-19 outbreak". CNA. 13 July 2021. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
- "Istana open house event on Aug 1 postponed as Singapore returns to Phase 2 (Heightened Alert)". CNA. 21 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- "National Day Parade 2021 to go ahead with physical event and spectators at The Float @ Marina Bay". CNA. 30 June 2021. Retrieved 1 July 2021.
- "National Day Parade 2021 to be postponed to Aug 21: MINDEF". CNA. 22 July 2021. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
- Natasha Ganesan (12 July 2022). "Live performances, activity booths to resume at Istana open house for National Day celebration". CNA. Retrieved 13 July 2022.
- "Expansion of Vaccination Programme: Further Easing of Community Measures". moh.gov.sg. 24 March 2021. Retrieved 25 March 2021.
- Tan, Christopher (13 February 2020). "Coronavirus: $77 million package to help taxi, private-hire drivers". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- Tan, Christopher (26 March 2020). "Taxi, private-hire car drivers to get more help amid Covid-19 outbreak". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 2 April 2020.
- "ComfortDelGro board, top management to take pay cuts amid COVID-19 outbreak". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- Ramchandani, Nisha (20 March 2020). "SIA expected to seek external funding; FY21 could see S$1.3b loss as Covid-19 kills off air travel". The Business Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- "COVID-19: Singapore Airlines slashes 96% of capacity, grounds most planes". CNA. Archived from the original on 23 March 2020. Retrieved 23 March 2020.
- "Singapore Airlines obtains $13 billion rescue package amid coronavirus shock". Reuters. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 13 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: Singapore Airlines to provide 300 'care ambassadors' to fill manpower gap at hospitals". CNA. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
- hermesauto (6 April 2020). "Parliament: Changi Airport T2 operations to be suspended for 18 months amid coronavirus outbreak". The Straits Times. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- "Full Year Loss As Covid-19 Crippled Travel Demand in Fourth Quarter" (PDF) (Press release). Singapore Airlines. 14 May 2020. Retrieved 6 August 2020.
- "Singapore Airlines posts first annual net loss in 48-year history after COVID-19 cripples demand". CNA. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
- "Singapore Airlines, SilkAir reinstate flights for some destinations in June and July". CNA. Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- hermesauto (25 June 2020). "Singapore budget carrier Jetstar Asia to cut a quarter of its workforce". The Straits Times. Retrieved 25 June 2020.
- "LTA | Industry & Innovations | Industry Matters | LTA's Measures for COVID-19". 5 April 2020. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- Toh, Ting Wei (17 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Bus services 170X and 950 suspended till 31 March, other services halt Malaysia legs ahead of lockdown". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- Ting Wei, Toh (20 September 2021). "Under 10 per cent of public bus drivers affected by Covid-19 outbreak at interchanges: Iswaran". The Straits Times.
- "MRT trains to run less frequently, some bus services will be suspended amid COVID-19 circuit breaker period". CNA. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- "SBS Transit suspends 20 bus services from 8 April to 4 May 2020". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 9 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Begum, Shabana (15 February 2022). "Longer wait for some buses as SBS Transit faces shortage of 80 drivers amid Covid-19 surge". The Straits Times.
- "Second stage of Thomson-East Coast Line to open early 2021 after delays due to COVID-19: Ong Ye Kung". CNA. 4 September 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- Lai, Linette (8 February 2020). "Government agencies will not ask for financial details for coronavirus contact tracing: MOH, police". Archived from the original on 8 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- Tan, Huileng (14 February 2020). "'Beware of scammers': Singapore warns of crooks trying to take advantage of coronavirus fears". Archived from the original on 2 March 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- "Coronavirus: 5 people arrested for allegedly cheating customers over face masks sold on Carousell". The Straits Times. 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 20 February 2020. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
- hermesauto (4 April 2020). "Man arrested for money-laundering offences linked to $10.3 million Covid-19-related scam". The Straits Times. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- "Police investigating after man posts online about abusing COVID-19 Temporary Relief Fund". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- "Close to 400 Covid-19-related scams reported, S$1.4 million cheated from January to April". Today. Singapore. 5 June 2020. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- hermesauto (10 May 2020). "Coronavirus: Police dismiss rumour of officers, NEA personnel visiting homes to enforce circuit breaker rules". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 11 May 2020. Retrieved 11 May 2020.
- "Police warn of scam involving oxygen machines donation to India amid COVID-19 crisis". CNA.
- Bunyan, John (16 March 2020). "PM: Malaysia under movement control order from Wed until 31 March, all shops closed except for essential services". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 16 March 2020. Retrieved 16 March 2020.
- "Singapore Faces Bigger Contraction as Malaysia Shuts Borders". Bloomberg. 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Coronavirus: Mad rush for Malaysian workers to go home to Johor Baru and then return to S'pore". 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 17 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Singapore firms rush to house Malaysian workers before COVID-19 travel restrictions kick in". 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Accommodating Workers Affected By Lockdown in Malaysia". 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "Malaysia lockdown: About 10,000 Malaysian workers matched with temporary housing, says Josephine Teo". 17 March 2020. Archived from the original on 18 March 2020. Retrieved 18 March 2020.
- "With no place to stay, some Malaysian workers sleeping rough near Kranji MRT station". Today. Singapore. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- hermesauto (19 March 2020). "MOM, police step up patrols to check for stranded Malaysian workers". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "S'poreans offer to house stranded Malaysian workers, as S'pore authorities step up patrols to look out for them". Today. Singapore. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020.
- "KTM enforces restrictive movement order on passengers, train services". New Straits Times. 17 March 2020. Retrieved 7 August 2020.
- "Malaysians returning from Singapore will need an entry permit, only 400 allowed to return daily". The Straits Times. 26 April 2020. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- Chang, Ai-Lien; Khalik, Salma; Goh, Timothy (28 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: 2 new confirmed cases in Singapore, bringing total to 7; no entry or transit for new visitors from Hubei". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 January 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
- Chang, Ai-Lien; Goh, Timothy; Aw, Cheng Wei (31 January 2020). "Wuhan virus: Visitors with recent travel history to China not allowed to enter or transit in Singapore". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 27 April 2020. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
- Goh, Timothy; Khalik, Salma; Kaur, Karamjit (25 February 2020). "Singapore to bar visitors from Cheongdo and Daegu amid rise in coronavirus cases in South Korea". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 25 February 2020. Retrieved 25 February 2020.
- Kurohi, Rei; Goh, Timothy (3 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Recent travellers to S. Korea, northern Italy and Iran barred from S'pore; testing for all symptomatic travellers at entry". The Straits Times. Retrieved 3 March 2020.
- Goh, Yan Han (13 March 2020). "S'poreans advised to review March school holiday plans amid Covid-19 outbreak". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 3 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- "Arrangements being made for Malaysian workers who slept at Kranji MRT station after travel restrictions kicked in". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 March 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- Bernama (25 March 2020). "Singapore temporary housing support won't be extended beyond 31 March | New Straits Times". NST Online. Archived from the original on 26 March 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- BERNAMA (30 March 2020). "Extended MCO: Singpost continues to offer accommodation to Malaysian workers". Bernama. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "Azmin: Malaysia assures Singapore of flow of essential goods amid Covid-19 shutdown | Malay Mail". The Malay Mail. 18 March 2020. Retrieved 27 October 2020.
- "MCO: Companies delivering goods to S'pore should apply to Transport Ministry | The Star Online". The Star. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- "Firms want clear directive on cargo supply to Singapore | The Star Online". The Star. Malaysia. Archived from the original on 1 May 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- Toh, Ting Wei (22 March 2020). "Coronavirus: All short-term visitors barred from entering and transiting in Singapore from Monday, 11.59pm". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 22 March 2020. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
- Nabilah, Awang (15 March 2020). "Covid-19: Singapore imposes entry ban on new visitors from Italy, France, Spain, Germany". TODAY. Archived from the original on 14 March 2020. Retrieved 13 March 2020.
- Toh, Ting Wei; Khalik, Salma (13 March 2020). "Covid-19: S'pore rolls out more measures including limiting, where possible, size of gatherings to 250 people; workplace distancing". The Straits Times. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- "Changi Airport Terminal 2 to suspend operations for 18 months amid COVID-19 pandemic". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 12 May 2020.
- "Johor Causeway to shorten operations to 12 hours daily beginning Friday: Malaysian senior minister". CNA. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "Singapore, Malaysia agree to allow certain residents to return for short-term home leave". The Sun Daily. Bernama. 27 June 2020. Archived from the original on 28 June 2020. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- "Singapore, Malaysia targeting to start cross-border travel from 10 Aug for some residents, business visitors". CNA. 14 July 2020. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
- Solhi, Farah (15 July 2020). "Malaysia-Singapore border to reopen under RGL, PCA schemes". New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 15 July 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020.
- "Singapore suspends 'travel bubble' with Malaysia, South Korea". Al Jazeera. 30 January 2021. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
- Kanyakumari, D. (23 March 2021). "Singapore, Malaysia to work towards recognising COVID-19 vaccine certificates, 'progressively restore' cross-border travel". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 24 March 2021. Retrieved 24 March 2021.
- Choudhury, Saheli Roy (10 December 2020). "After 'cruise to nowhere' returns early, Singapore says passenger does not have Covid". CNBC. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- "Authorities working with China to bring home Singaporeans in Wuhan". CNA. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "On a 15-hour mission to Wuhan & back: How these MFA officers brought 266 S'poreans & their families home". mothership.sg. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "Stranded Aussies and Singaporeans get to fly home". Khmer Times. 12 April 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: 224 Singapore residents repatriated from Egypt". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: 7 Singapore residents repatriated from Fiji". CNA. Archived from the original on 29 April 2020. Retrieved 25 April 2020.
- "Coronavirus: 699 Singapore citizens, residents evacuated from India". The Straits Times. 11 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: Eight Singaporeans evacuated from Iran on flight arranged by Malaysia". CNA. Archived from the original on 10 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "Singapore expresses gratitude to Malaysia for evacuation from Nepal". The Malay Mail. 4 April 2020. Retrieved 5 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: 85 Singapore citizens, residents repatriated from Saudi Arabia". CNA. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- Chong, Clara (30 March 2020). "Coronavirus: MFA's efforts help to bring home Singaporean stuck in Slovenia". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 1 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "'Special arrangement' made to fly Singaporeans, PRs back home from UK amid COVID-19 outbreak". CNA. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- hermesauto (19 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Singapore students in Britain to get help with flights back". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 21 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- "Wuhan virus: 92 Singaporeans flown home from Wuhan; some remain in the city as they are symptomatic". CNA. Archived from the original on 30 January 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- hermes (29 March 2020). "Coronavirus: Isolation in the comfort of a hotel". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- Tan, Audrey (27 March 2020). "Coronavirus: From exercise to bird-watching, S'pore scientist plans to enjoy comforts of home while on stay-home notice in hotel". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 28 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- "Questions about the dedicated SHN facilities for UK and US returnees answered". gov.sg. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
- "Singapore, U.K. Airlines Suspend Routes Leaving Chinese Tourists Stranded – Caixin Global". caixinglobal.com. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "Singapore to allow travellers to transit through airport from 2 June". The Jakarta Post. 21 May 2020. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "COVID-19 | Repatriation of Indian nationals from Singapore to start from Friday". The Hindu. PTI. 7 May 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: others (link) - "COVID-19: Second repatriation flight from Singapore". The Hindu. 13 May 2020. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 29 May 2020.
- "Bangladesh, Singapore hold talks over voluntary repatriation". Dhaka Tribune. 10 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- Apriza Pinandita (10 April 2020). "Indonesia receives 58 foreign aid packages for COVID-19 relief: Foreign Minister". The Jakarta Post. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "Singapore sends additional medical supplies to support Indonesia's fight against COVID-19". CNA. Archived from the original on 5 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: Singapore donates 5,000 flocked swabs to Malaysia". The Edge Markets. 1 April 2020. Archived from the original on 4 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- Chaudhury, Dipanjan Roy (1 April 2020). "Singapore, South Korea, key suppliers of Covid-19 gear". The Economic Times. Archived from the original on 2 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- Sengupta, Joy. "SpiceJet operates its first cargo freighter to Singapore to bring critical medical equipment to India – Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 17 April 2020.
- "COVID-19: SpiceJet operates first cargo flight to Singapore to bring back medical equipment". The Economic Times. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- Saturday, 5 December 2020 03:33 pm MYT. "What is the global Covid-19 vaccine initiative to which Singapore has pledged S$6.7m? | Malay Mail". The Malay Mail. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- "Statement by Friends of the COVAX Facility (FOF)". mfa.gov.sg. Retrieved 12 December 2020.
- hermesauto (27 April 2021). "New relief fund in Singapore to raise money and support India in its fight against Covid-19". The Straits Times. Retrieved 27 April 2021.
- "Singapore, Australia Agree to Share Covid-19 Vaccine Doses". Bloomberg.com. 31 August 2021. Retrieved 22 September 2021.
- "Singapore sends 100,000 doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Brunei". CNA. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- "Singapore sends more than 120,000 doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Batam, Riau Islands". CNA. Retrieved 29 September 2021.
- "Singapore plans massive budget stimulus to counter virus threat". The Japan Times. 16 February 2020. ISSN 0447-5763. Archived from the original on 14 April 2020. Retrieved 22 April 2020.
- "Government support for firms and workers in response to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus outbreak". MOF, MTI. 1 February 2020. Archived from the original on 7 June 2020. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
- "Second stimulus package in the works as global economy, COVID-19 situation worsen: DPM Heng". Archived from the original on 12 March 2020. Retrieved 12 March 2020.
- "Solidarity Budget to cost S$5.1 billion, S$4 billion more needed from reserves". CNA. Archived from the original on 20 May 2020. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: DPM Heng Swee Keat to deliver ministerial statement on further help for businesses, individuals". CNA. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
- "Singapore government to provide targeted support to affected businesses within the heightened alert". The Business Times. Retrieved 28 August 2021.
- "CPF contribution rates to stay the same despite COVID-19 economic downturn". CNA. Retrieved 4 June 2020.
- Chew, Hui Min (26 May 2020). "S$31 billion to be drawn from reserves for Fortitude Budget". CNA. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- Seow, Joanna (26 May 2020). "Higher wage subsidies for S'porean workers extended to more sectors hit by Covid-19, support to last 10 months: DPM Heng". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- Yuen, Sin (26 May 2020). "All households with at least one Singaporean will receive $100 subsidy on utility bills: DPM Heng". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- hermesauto (26 May 2020). "F&B and retail businesses can get up to $10,000 under new digital transformation scheme". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- hermesauto (26 May 2020). "$2b package to create 100,000 job and training opportunities for workers hit by Covid-19 slowdown". The Straits Times. Retrieved 26 May 2020.
- "MAS Launches S$125 Million Package for Financial Institutions and FinTech Firms to Strengthen Long-Term Capabilities". mas.gov.sg. 8 April 2020. Archived from the original on 18 May 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "Singapore Media Sector Gets A Boost Amidst COVID-19". Infocomm Media Development Authority. Archived from the original on 20 April 2020. Retrieved 14 April 2020.
- Ang, Hwee Min (16 September 2020). "Singaporeans aged 18 and above to receive S$100 worth of local tourism vouchers". CNA. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
- "How To Use Your SingapoRediscovers Vouchers To Donate To Charity". Today. Singapore. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- Teh, Cheryl; Lim, Jessie (24 November 2020). "Singapore consumers express concern over 'complicated' tourism voucher redemption process". The Straits Times. Retrieved 30 December 2020.
- "SingapoRediscovers vouchers scheme extended to year end, 'enhancements' to be introduced". CNA. Retrieved 7 May 2021.
- Aqil Haziq Mahmud (12 February 2020). "Discrimination of healthcare workers due to coronavirus 'disgraceful': Amrin Amin". Channel News Asia.
- "Grab to pilot service offering round-the-clock rides home for healthcare professionals". CNA. 12 February 2020. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 16 February 2020.
- "Some staff members at Lee Ah Mooi evicted by landlords, says nursing home hit by COVID-19". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- Leung, Hillary (20 April 2020). "Why Singapore, Once a Model for Coronavirus Response, Lost Control of Its Outbreak". Time. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- Stack, Megan K. (20 May 2020). "A Sudden Coronavirus Surge Brought Out Singapore's Dark Side". The New York Times. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
- Lim, Joyce (6 April 2020). "Coronavirus: Workers describe crowded, cramped living conditions at dormitory gazetted as isolation area". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 6 April 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2020.
- Romero, Anna (7 April 2020). "Tommy Koh: The way Singapore treats its foreign workers is not First World but Third World". The Independent. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- "Singapore: Over 20,000 migrant workers in quarantine must be protected from mass infection". Amnesty International. 6 April 2020. Archived from the original on 8 April 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2020.
- Navene Elangovan; Alif Chandra (7 April 2020). "Manpower minister vows to raise standard of dormitories after Covid-19 outbreak is over". Today. Singapore. Retrieved 5 August 2020.
- Chong, Terence (2018). "Introduction". Pentecostal Megachurches in Southeast Asia: Negotiating Class, Consumption and the Nation. ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. p. 8. ISBN 978-981-4786-88-1.
- Sim, Joshua Dao Wei (November 2020). "Compliant Singaporean Christians? State-Centred Christian Responses to COVID-19 in a Single-Party Dominant State". Studies in World Christianity. 26 (3): 239–260. doi:10.3366/swc.2020.0308. S2CID 226337233.
- "Coronavirus: MOM to improve quality of meals for foreign workers under quarantine". The Straits Times. 9 April 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: Four more foreign worker dormitories declared as isolation areas". CNA. 24 April 2020. Archived from the original on 28 April 2020. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- Lim, Janice (9 April 2020). "21 HDB blocks in Redhill Close to house healthy essential foreign workers relocated from dorms". Today. Singapore. Archived from the original on 21 April 2020. Retrieved 24 May 2020.
- "1,300 healthy foreign workers move into vacant premises at Jurong & Bedok camps". mothership.sg. Archived from the original on 25 April 2020. Retrieved 9 April 2020.
- "3-pronged strategy in place to stop coronavirus spread in dorms". The Straits Times. 15 April 2020. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- Lee, Yen Nee (6 May 2020). "Singapore is not yet halfway through its coronavirus outbreak, says minister". CNBC. Archived from the original on 6 May 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2020.
- "COVID-19: Singapore to build new dormitories with improved living standards for migrant workers". CNA. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
- "Police respond to 3 dorm incidents on Friday". The New Paper. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- "At breaking point: Singapore's migrant workers struggle with isolation, anxiety amid COVID-19 curbs". Yahoo! News. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- "COVID 19: No spike in number of migrant worker suicides, says MOM". CNA. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- "Spate of suicides among migrant workers in Singapore raises concern". Reuters. 6 August 2020. Retrieved 9 August 2020.
- "Social distancing needed on buses and trains, too". Today. Singapore. 23 March 2020. Archived from the original on 25 March 2020.
- "NMPs urge Govt to roll out safe-distancing measures on public transport". Today. Singapore. 25 March 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- "Safe distancing: Do not use trains, buses if unwell, cut unnecessary and peak-hour travel, says Khaw Boon Wan". Today. Singapore. 23 March 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- "COVID-19: Additional safe distancing measures implemented on public transport". CNA. Archived from the original on 12 April 2020. Retrieved 10 April 2020.
- "Safe distancing stickers on public transport removed as circuit breaker ends | Video". CNA. 1 June 2020. Retrieved 6 June 2020.
- "Social gatherings pose 'a different magnitude of risk' of Covid-19 compared to contact on public transport: Lawrence Wong". The Straits Times. 8 June 2020. Retrieved 5 September 2020.
- "Singapore Police Force can obtain TraceTogether data for criminal investigations: Desmond Tan". CNA. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
- "The Big Read: What's the big deal with data privacy? Thorny, complex issues confront citizens and governments". CNA. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- "Legislation to be introduced setting out serious offences for which TraceTogether data can be used for police probe". CNA. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
- "Bill restricting use of TraceTogether data for serious crimes passed by Parliament". CNA. Retrieved 3 February 2021.
External links
Media related to COVID-19 pandemic in Singapore at Wikimedia Commons
- Worldwide Coronavirus Map, confirmed Cases – Map the route paths of coronavirus confirmed cases.
- Updates on COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) Local Situation – Ministry of Health (Singapore)
- The Straits Times digital graphics tracker of cases in Singapore (updated daily)
- Official Update of COVID −19 Situation in Singapore
- CNA's COVID-19 clusters
- CNA's COVID-19 map
- The Straits Times article tracking every single case in Singapore
- CoronaTracker – Statistics on the coronavirus cases in Singapore
- Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases and historical data by Johns Hopkins University
- Singapore travel restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic
- Covid-19: Singapore schools tackle mental health amid pandemic stress