Indranee Rajah on new wedding restrictions, ‘I know couples…will be disappointed’

Singapore—The country faces new restrictions due to increasing Covid infections, including added precautions for weddings.

Minister Indranee Rajah took to Facebook to explain these new rules, acknowledging that “couples affected by the new guidelines,” set to take effect from this Saturday (May 8) “will be disappointed.”

But she hoped that everyone would understand why the new measures are necessary.

“Weddings, like many celebrations, have a higher risk of virus transmission due to their social and interactive nature,” she added.

Ms Indranee wrote that the authorities “didn’t want to stop weddings altogether”, but underlined that a balance needs to be reached.

“We have to reduce the risk of transmission. So this is the balance taking into account numbers and activity levels.”

The good news is that a maximum of 250 people may still attend weddings.

The not-so-welcome news is that participants will be required to be tested for Covid-19 prior to the event if over 50 attendees are expected.

But wedding attendees who have had both vaccination shots are not required to be tested.

This is a change from previous rules when only weddings with 100 attendees required pre-event testing.

The minister also said that the new guidelines make a distinction between weddings with solemnisations only and weddings with receptions.

For solemnisation ceremonies without a reception which have over 50 attendees, the bride and groom need to be tested before the ceremony, since they are the ones who interact the most with other attendees.

For weddings with receptions with over 50 attendees, everyone is required to be tested before the event. “This is because receptions would involve everyone eating and drinking, with higher chances of interactions,” wrote Ms Indranee.

And for smaller weddings with 50 or fewer attendees, no pre-event testing is needed.

The minister added the following important information to her post:

Pre-event testing is available at around 200 locations islandwide, including many GP clinics

Here are some links you may find useful:

• Where can I find the latest guidelines and FAQs for weddings? – www.gobusiness.gov.sg/safemanagement/sector/

• Where can my guests and I go for pre-event testing? – www.go.gov.sg/list-of-covid-19-swab-providers

• Where can I find out more about pre-event-testing? – www.moh.gov.sg/covid-19/pet

/TISG

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