Visiting parents or grandparents allowed from June 2 with restrictions
Singaporeans will be allowed to visit their parents or grandparents from June 2, but with some restrictions in place.
The Ministry of Health said yesterday that each household can receive up to only two visitors once a day. The visitors must come from the same household.
As part of this policy, dropping off children at parents' and grandparents' homes for childcare will also be allowed. This comes on top of existing provisions for informal childcare arrangements for essential workers.
The same limit of up to two visitors from one household each day also applies, the ministry said.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong said there will be some flexibility for households to visit their parents, in-laws and grandparents after the circuit breaker ends on June 1.
However, siblings will not be allowed to visit one another.
Mr Gan said the limit of allowing only one household to visit their elderly family members once a day is meant to avoid having big family gatherings.
"I know this is very restrictive and there will be a lot of appeals and a lot of angst among the children, because everyone wants to see your parents and visit your grandparents all at the same time... We want to avoid having this gathering of people at the senior's house," he said.
Seniors should not leave their houses to visit family members, he added, during a virtual press conference, encouraging them to continue staying home.
Asked how these rules would be enforced, the minister acknowledged it would not be easy to do so.
He urged people instead to focus on and abide by the spirit of these rules and regulations, which will protect the seniors in their family.
Should there be complaints from neighbours about incidents of big gatherings, action will have to be taken, he added.
Separately, senior citizens will still not be able to take part in senior-centric activities such as group exercises and karaoke sessions.
Community-based centre services for people with disabilities will gradually reopen with safe distancing measures in place.
Staff will continue to take necessary precautions such as wearing masks, maintaining good personal hygiene and ensuring regular cleaning of activity equipment and shared spaces.
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