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SINGAPORE – Stores selling bubble tea, alcohol and other beverages have been excluded from the list of food outlets that may reopen from May 12.
This means that bubble tea shops, which generated long queues just before they closed, will remain closed for now.
Government agency Enterpise Singapore (ESG) said on Saturday (May 2): “Independent stores (excluding street vendors, food courts and coffee shops) that primarily sell beverages should remain closed during the period of the circuit breaker.
“Online retailing of these products is permitted, only if made from the authorized F&B central kitchen, if applicable.”
Other examples of specialty stores that cannot open include those that sell fruit juices, coffee, and tea.
Meanwhile, food and beverage outlets that remain open or will reopen will need to implement the national SafeEntry digital registration system by May 12.
ESG said this is to facilitate efficient collection of visitor information so that contact tracking can be done in a timely manner.
Bubble tea shops, along with other food and beverage outlets, had to close as of April 22 as part of the improved circuit breaker measures announced by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong last month.
The improved measures were initially established to last until May 4.
But the Covid-19 task force said Saturday (May 2) that some companies, including home-food companies, hair salons, and dessert outlets, will only be able to reopen starting May 12.
National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, who co-chairs the working group, said: “It will only start from May 12, so we have established the categories that we will allow to open thereafter.
“Individual stores will also be notified, they need to obtain a specific exemption from the Ministry of Commerce and Industry before they can resume operations.”
He said companies that have not been notified by authorities about the reopening should not assume that they can.
Wong also said authorities will be selective about which companies may reopen, though he did not give specific examples.
“To a large extent, the post-May 12 position is coming back – it will go back to where we were before the strict circuit breaker measures were applied, but it will not be identical,” he said.
“There are some companies that were operating that we don’t want to allow (reopening) after the risk assessment and (due to) the fact that some of these places or entities may not be ready.”
The Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the following companies may resume operations:
to. On-site manufacturing and preparation of all foods, including cakes and confectionery, ice cream, cocoa, chocolate and chocolate products, and other snacks;
yes. Retail food stores, including cakes and confectioneries, packaged snacks, and dessert shops, but only to go and deliver;
C. Food business at home, but only for delivery or collection. Private meals will not be allowed in the home. The delivery and collection of food orders must be done safely and without contact and by appointment, so that the collection of orders can be spaced to avoid crowding. Details will be provided separately;
re. Retail laundry services;
me. Barbers and hairdressers, for basic hair cutting services; and
F. Retail of pet supplies.
The list of activities that will be allowed to resume and more relevant information will be updated on the GoBusiness website.
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