Coronavirus: Govt advises public to stay home and avoid going to malls unless essential, so as to curb local transmission

People queueing to enter Compass One mall in Sengkang on March 27, 2020. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

SINGAPORE - In the light of the evolving coronavirus situation in Singapore, the Government on Saturday (March 28) advised the public to avoid non-essential trips to malls and stay at home.

Requesting the public to take safe distancing seriously, the advisory sent via the Gov.sg WhatsApp channel said the public should visit malls only for essential goods such as food, and keep at least a distance of one metre from others.

Singaporeans are also advised to buy food and groceries online and reduce physical interaction, which is critical to curb local transmission of the virus.

Malls and supermarkets have implemented safe distancing measures to regulate the flow of people and limit the spread of the virus.

The public should also expect queues, especially during peak hours, the advisory said.

Foreign workers and foreign domestic workers are advised to remain at their residence on their rest days and avoid gathering in public spaces or visiting crowded spaces during this period.

The Ministry of Health announced 49 new confirmed Covid-19 cases in Singapore on Friday, including a new cluster involving three people working at a packet-processing facility at SingPost Centre in Eunos.

The new cases bring the total number in Singapore to 732.

A total of 183 have recovered, with another 11 being discharged on Friday. Of the 432 still in hospital, most are stable or improving, while 17 are in critical care.

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