Singapore announces new support package as social curbs tightened
- Charles Chau
Finance minister and co-chair of the multi-ministry task force Lawrence Wong said, “I can assure you the government will provide a support package to all affected businesses and workers.”
The package will cost the government between S$800 million (US$585 million) and S$900 million (US$759 million), he said, referencing the package rolled out during the past phase two (heightened alert) period.
Wong said the new package will not draw on the country’s past reserves as “the economy is already recovering and still expected to recover”.
This will be the third time that dining in has been banned. The last time when the country implemented a similar ban was during the phase 2 (heightened alert) period from May 16 to June 13.
Under the new measures, social gathering group sizes will again be reduced to a maximum of two persons as well.
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Singapore saw a recent surge in COVID-19 infections from clusters linked to KTV lounges and clubs, the Jurong Fishery Port and Hong Lim Market & Food Centre which has since spread to wet markets and hawker centres island-wide, prompting the government to tighten the pandemic measures.
The Ministry of Finance will announce more details on the support package soon.
