Streamlining Vaccination-differentiated Safe Management Measures for Coffee Shops and Canteens

Mr Leon Perera asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment whether the Ministry will consider (i) easing VDS for dining-in at coffee shops and industrial canteens and (ii) providing financial subsidies to help coffee shops and industrial canteens with compliance costs related to VDS.

As part of the further relaxation of safe management measures (SMMs) from 29 March 2022, coffeeshops and canteens can either choose to accommodate up to five persons dine-in without at-entry Vaccination-Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) checks or accommodate up to 10 persons dine-in with at-entry VDS checks.

When VDS at coffee shops and canteens was first introduced in November 2021, the Singapore Food Agency (SFA) received feedback from operators on their difficulties in implementing at-entry VDS checks. The layouts of some coffee shops were not amenable to access controls, and the additional manpower would come at additional costs. Operators suggested to implement time- and/or area-bound VDS at their premises. This was introduced on 7 March 2022.

Operators who now wish to operate at 10-persons dine-in can continue to choose across any of the VDS options to best suit their operating models. Operators will have to submit their plans to SFA and will receive a response within seven working days.

As of 29 March 2022, there are 237 coffee shops and canteens implementing the 10-person VDS. SFA and Safe Distancing Ambassadors will continue to conduct regular checks at coffee shops and canteens to ensure that VDS requirements are strictly adhered to. The Government will also be providing a one-off cash support to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that have been most affected by the COVID-19 restrictions and measures over the past year, including the F&B sector, under the Small Business Recovery Grant.

I thank the Minister for her reply. I have two supplementary questions. First, will the Ministry consider improving the awareness of VDS in coffee shops and canteens because the concept of time- and area-bound VDS may not be easily understood by the public? Second, will the Ministry consider streamlining the VDS approach for markets, hawker centres as well as coffee shops and canteens?

We will definitely do more. But from our experience with the coffee shops and canteens, although there are flexibilities in their operations and implementations, the patrons were quick to recognise how it works. It is quite intuitive; if you have a "zichar" stall operating at night and if the operator so wishes, it can go up to 10 persons dine-in with VDS checks because I think the businesses have their motivations aligned with VDS checks. Many of the operators are also making the arrangements publicly known around the area.

On further review of VDS, as explained by the Minister for Health earlier on, it will be aligned with what has been decided by MTF.

Minister, since the one-metre social distancing with mask on is not necessary, will the National Environmental Agency (NEA) consider for pasar malams to resume in the neighbourhood?

We will review this further. As we have seen recently, Geylang Serai, for example, has a pasar malam. We will look at such arrangements, over time, as the situation allows.