Singapore – In light of the relaxed Covid-19 measures at the upcoming concert of Mandopop singer JJ Lin, members of the public have aired their concerns, highlighting a “double standard” on the rules.
The 40-year-old singer will be holding his charity concert on Nov 27 and 28. The event, which is reported to see about 4,000 attendees, is included among others with eased restrictions, such as not needing to keep the audience seated one metre apart.
As part of the government’s strategy to live with Covid-19 within the community, the zones on events will be removed, or the zone capacity for participants will be increased.
Announced authorities on Monday (Nov 15), the new plan is known as the vaccination-differentiated safe management measures (VDS) + Test.
In return, events with eased measures will need to comply with additional Covid-19 testing before participation.
For example, those attending the concert will need to show their test result on their TraceTogether app or have the test performed or supervised by the event organiser and venue operator.
Selected meetings, incentives, conventions and exhibitions (Mice) events, spectator sports and live performances are among those included in the VDS + Test protocol.
According to Marina Bay Sands, who is co-organising the event, all seats are allowed to be filled without safe distancing.
Concertgoers are required to be fully masked during the event.
It is expected that the Sands Theatre venue will be near full capacity of about 2,000 people per night, reported The Straits Times.
In response to the news, members from the online community openly expressed their opinions on the relaxed measures, noting they were “nonsense rules.”
“Absolutely ridiculous. Cannot visit our loved ones in hospital but no safe distancing for a concert?” a netizen commented.
“The government ban the unvaccinated almost everywhere citing safety and protection, and yet this same government allows this to take place. A concert isn’t even a necessity,” noted Facebook user Terry Dean.
Netizen Song Juma wrote, “Nonsense rules. Visit family or dining out must be two person or five in the same household but yet no need social distancing in this concert. Blardy double standard.”
Another netizen added, “Can’t even have a big family gathering but can have this. Horrible double standard.”
The Independent Singapore has reached out to MBS for a comment.
Other events under the new protocol include the Bloomberg New Economy Forum from Nov 16 to 19 and a One Championship martial arts event on Dec 3./TISG
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