Masks will no longer be required on public transportation and in some hospital and residential care settings as of Monday (Feb 13), the same day Singapore reduces its disease alert to its lowest level since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Thursday that it will continue to require visitors, employees, and patients to wear masks when interacting with other patients and in indoor patient-facing locations.
Hospital wards, emergency departments, consulting rooms and waiting spaces, pharmacies, clinics, and nursing homes are examples.
In order to better safeguard patients and healthcare staff from infectious illnesses in general, the MOH will demand this rather than COVID-19, according to a ministry news release.
Thursday during a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force (MTF) news conference, MOH's director of medical services Kenneth Mak stressed that mask-wearing is not required in hospital areas unrelated to the "delivery of treatment," such as the cafeteria or parking lot.
"Hospitals will evaluate their operating requirements and the environment to determine whether there are options to reduce the burden of mask use in certain circumstances," he said.
Thus, the policy stance has been revised, but the need that masks be worn in care areas remains.
MOH stated that it will continue to advise members of the public, particularly the elderly and immunocompromised, to wear masks in crowded areas or while interacting with vulnerable individuals.
The ministry also recommended anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 or other respiratory diseases to use a mask before leaving their homes.
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