SINGAPORE – After a two-year halt due to the pandemic, all nightlife businesses in Singapore will be allowed to fully reopen from April 19, with Covid-19 safety measures in place, said the authorities on Monday (April 4).

Nightlife establishments – namely bars, pubs, karaoke establishments, discotheques and nightclubs – will be subject to safe management measures (SMMs), including vaccination-differentiated SMMs (VDS), said the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) and Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in a joint statement.

For nightlife establishments such as nightclubs and discotheques where there is dancing, a negative antigen rapid test (ART) supervised by a Ministry of Health-approved test provider – either in person or remotely – will be required for patrons before entry.

A negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result is also allowed. The Covid-19 test will be valid for 24 hours from the time of the test result, said the ministries. Patrons must get tested at most 24 hours before the end of the attendance at the event or activity. Testing will not apply to visitors or staff, such as employees or contractors.

The latest move for the nightlife sector comes as several SMM rules were eased last week, after the daily number of Covid-19 cases reported started to decline from late-February. Since March 29, the 10.30pm cut-off for alcohol sales and consumption at food and beverage (F&B) establishments has been lifted. Live performances also resumed at all venues, along with the screening of live broadcast programmes and recorded entertainment at F&B outlets. MTI and MHA said on Monday that all nightlife businesses will have to adhere to the following SMMs. In line with national guidelines, maximum group size is capped at 10 fully vaccinated people for places where checks on vaccination status have been done at entrances. While mask wearing is required indoors, it is optional outdoors.

Merry-makers and live music fans out in full force at Clarke Quay on April 2, 2022. ST PHOTO: DESMOND WEE

Additionally, a safe distance of at least 1m will have to be kept between individuals or groups when masks are off.

Capacity limits for large settings or events with more than 1,000 people – where masks are kept on and there is no safe distancing – are at 75 per cent. Those with fewer than 1,000 people will have no capacity limits.