Singapore updates COVID-19 measures from 1 March 2024: Masks no longer compulsory in lower-risk outpatient settings

However, mask-wearing requirements will remain in place for higher-risk healthcare settings, including inpatient wards, emergency departments and residential care facilities.

Marking a year since Singapore's Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) level was adjusted to Green, the Ministry of Health (MOH) will progressively stand down the remaining COVID-19 response protocols, effective 1 March 2024 (Friday).

In this latest update, mask-wearing will no longer be compulsory for patients, visitors, and staff in lower-risk outpatient settings. This includes polyclinics, general practitioner clinics, specialist outpatient clinics, dialysis centres, traditional Chinese medicine clinics, and dental clinics. Wearing a mask is still strongly encouraged for medically vulnerable persons, seniors and persons with acute respiratory infection (ARI) in these settings.

However, mask-wearing requirements will remain in place for higher-risk healthcare settings, including inpatient wards, emergency departments, and residential care facilities.

Per MOH's statement: "We intend for this to be a standing requirement, to improve general infection control practices in these areas. Inpatients of hospitals and residents of residential care facilities are not required to wear a mask.

"Nevertheless, as good practice, we encourage residents and inpatients to wear a mask if they are unwell or develop ARI symptoms.

At the same time, the COVID-19 vaccine recommendations have been updated. Keeping in mind that most individuals have had one or more prior infections with COVID-19 and will have some underlying protection even if unvaccinated, the Expert Committee on COVID-19 Vaccination (EC19V), has recommended that two initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines will be sufficient to ensure an essential level of protection. This is down from the current recommendation of minimum protection with three initial doses.

That being said, individuals should also go for any additional doses being offered or recommended to them based on prevailing recommendations.

MOH has accepted this recent recommendation and encourages all eligible persons of the following:

• Unvaccinated persons should receive two initial vaccine doses at an interval of eight weeks apart.
• An additional dose of an updated vaccine for 2024 continues to be recommended, and should be administered around one year (and no earlier than five months) after the last dose received.

The additional dose is recommended for:

• all persons aged 60 years and above,
• medically vulnerable individuals, and
• residents of aged care facilities.

Next-of-kin of residents of aged care facilities (e.g. nursing homes) are reminded to provide consent (if necessary) in a timely manner, if they intend to enable the residents to receive an additional dose of the updated vaccine. The additional dose is also encouraged for all individuals aged six months and above, in particular healthcare workers, as well as household members and caregivers of medically vulnerable individuals.

At the same time, MOH will cease operations at four of joint testing & vaccination centres (JTVCs) from 1 April 2024 in view of the stable demand for COVID-19 vaccination; namely in Ang Mo Kio, Jurong West, Pasir Ris, and Yishun.

Individuals who wish to receive their vaccinations at these locations should do so by 30 March 2024.

Following this consolidation, the five remaining JTVCs are located at Bukit Merah, Jurong East, Kaki Bukit, Sengkang, and Woodlands. COVID-19 vaccinations will continue to be available at more than 200 participating public health preparedness clinics and polyclinics located islandwide.

Other updates include the EC19V handing over the COVID-19 role to the Expert Committee on Immunisation. 

Therefore, the Expert Committee on Immunisation (ECI) will take over the role of advising the government on issues relating to COVID-19 vaccination after the EC19V’s term ends on 31 March 2024. The ECI is a standing committee that provides advice on nationally recommended immunisations for children and adults.

Lastly, MOH will align the reporting of COVID-19 surveillance statistics with other infectious diseases monitored by MOH, such as influenza, starting 1 March. These statistics will be reported in the Weekly Infectious Diseases Bulletin, accessible from the MOH website.

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Lead image / Ministry of Health Singapore's Facebook