Singapore is considering new laws that would ban both public and private gatherings of any size as the city-state ramps up social distancing measures to fight the coronavirus, said health minister Gan Kim Yong.
Laws debated during parliament on Tuesday would criminalize gatherings among friends or family members who are not living together — and apply to private quarters or public spaces such as parks, according to a copy of his speech received by email.
The proposed clampdown on meetings comes on a day when the city-state closed most workplaces, except for essential services and key economic sectors. It’s also moving to fully home-based learning in schools. Local transmissions of the coronavirus and unlinked infections have continued to rise in the country in recent weeks.