Source: Euronews

Residents of Germany are set to experience further social distancing as Chancellor Angela Merkel’s office announced on Sun (22 Mar) that gatherings of more than two people will be prohibited.

Exceptions, however, apply to individuals living in the same household, or if the gathering is related to work.

Police may take action against those who are found flouting the ban.

“The great aim is to gain time in the fight against the virus,” said Ms Merkel, who has gone into self-quarantine after receiving a vaccination against pneumococcus from a doctor who has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

A spokesperson for Ms Merkel said that she will undergo regular tests for COVID-19 in the next few days and will be working from home.

The Chancellor also urged residents of Germany to minimise contact with others outside their household and to ensure a distance of at least 1.5 metres from another person when in public.

Germany has recorded a total of 18,610 cases and 55 deaths related to COVID-19 as at Sun.

In Singapore, National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chairman of the task force on COVID-19, told a press conference last Fri that the Government’s new requirement of suspending all events and gatherings with 250 or more attendees at a single time is a part of “a range of very stringent, safe distancing measures” put in place to limit further local transmission of the virus.

The new measure is an extension of an earlier one, which called for ticketed cultural, sports and entertainment events to be limited to fewer than 250 participants.

Mr Wong said that while the new measure “will lead to some inconvenience”, such a stringent measure could “give us better control over the situation and enable us to suppress and slow down the spread of the virus”.

“They should lead to a change in outcomes from where we are today. We cannot continue with business-as-usual activities,” he stressed.

The limitation on participant size applies does not only to public entertainment venues, but also to private gatherings such as weddings and parties, according to the multi-ministry taskforce.

The Government, said Mr Wong, will not hesitate to resort to “escalating penalties” such as issuing warnings, fines and revocation of licences against errant entities.

“If there is a need, we can also through the Infectious Diseases Act to prosecute egregious cases,” he said.

Mr Wong however acknowledged that such measures may be more difficult to “impose or enforce for private gatherings”.

“If somebody has a party in their home, I wouldn’t even know. And that’s why we say not everything can be done through government measures.

“Singaporeans have to take responsibility for your private get-togethers. Do it in smaller groups. Don’t do them so frequently,” he said.

Subscribe
Notify of
0 Comments
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
You May Also Like

管后港市镇会遭“刁难”刘程强诉辛酸 诉方坚称工人党内定FMSS

工人党前秘书长刘程强议员,叙述90年代时期工人党接管后港市镇会曾遭“刁难”,管理面对重重困难。 其中,刘程强提及在1991年大选夺得后港选取后,同年9月30日,收到建屋发展局通知,将在12月31日终止对后港的管理服务,也给刘程强期限撤出原有办公室。 刘程强说,建屋局后来告知,需要40周(10个月)来重建新办公室,又不肯延长现有办公室的使用期限,他只好找亲友和建筑师的协助下另寻办公室,所幸还能在期限当天搬入新址。 他也必须招募和培训新班底,协助管理后港市镇会,避免服务中断。 没拨款  选民承担更高水、杂费 ”然而,接下来日子仍荆棘满途。90年代中期,建屋局进一步终止后港市镇会24小时紧急服务和电脑系统。同时,也没有获政府拨款开展任何提升计划。“ 他说,这导致后港市镇会设施比起行动党选区少、市镇会也需花更多钱维修旧设施。结果,后港选民必须承担更高昂的水费、服务与杂费(S&CC),间接也影响了选民对工人党好感。 刘程强于昨日获法院传召,为工人党市镇会诉讼第一答辩人。他在48页的宣誓书中”诉苦“,叙述管理后港市镇会的惨痛经验。 辩方律师也引述刘程强管理后港市镇会的经验,成为后来2011年管理阿裕尼市镇会的参照。 刘程强也指出,建国总理李光耀还曾在2011年大选的群众大会上,公然指出反对党选区房屋价值比邻近行动党选区的房价低,藉此呼吁阿裕尼集选区人民投给行动党。 他也补充,另两位民主党议员–1991年胜选、分别管理武吉甘柏区的林孝谆和义顺中区的蒋才正也面对同样挑战。当地选民反映,两者无法妥善管理选区,才在97年选举丢失议席。…

【国会】应对疫情之际调涨税收、费用 梁文辉忧无助坚定民众对政府信任

在当前面对疫情和经济等严峻挑战,国人对政府的信任尤为重要。不过,前进党非选区议员梁文辉就指出,政府一方面出台应付冠病危机的措施,但同时又急着增加税收和水电等收费,并无助于坚定民众对政府领导的信念。 梁文辉在本月14日在国会参与副总理兼财长王瑞杰的部长声明。他列举了近两周内宣布增加成本的部分,首先在9月29日,全民重症保险计划终身健保明年初起,从以往的11.5巴仙增至35.4巴仙,即指保费从每年的1千元增至1千350元。 不过随着保费上涨,保险范围有随之增加,梁文辉坦言,对于因疫情受到打击的人民来说,确实是令人欣慰的消息。 其次,9月30日,新加坡能源有限公司(SP Group)宣布在今年最后一个季度(自10月至12月)上调了9.3巴仙的电费。 “自2012年开始,电力市场自由化以来,却赚取数十亿元,在首次电费上涨后,就在电费上涨的路上“前进”,即使在新加坡人正遭受疫情的打击。” 尽管价格上涨是因为电力公司的成本相对提高,但梁文辉认为,新加坡能源公司可以轻易地从过去赚取的利润中吸收,而不是将增加成本的费用推到消费者身上。 “增加税收和收费显然无法借此提高人们的信心。与此同时,政府却承诺给出冠病19补贴措施,如同给人民一颗糖后,再给你一巴掌。” 另一方面,梁文辉也指出陆路交通局上周也宣布,自10月12日起,将会在中央高速公路六个收费门架提高电子道路收费(ERP)1元,以缓解高峰期的拥挤路况。 梁文辉认为,这无疑给新加坡的家庭户增加了数百元的支出,而且也质疑是否在未来,消费税也会因此提高。 “这些难道不能推迟到以后再实施吗?新加坡能源公司能否以过去的利润来吸收关税的增长?ERP不能再缓缓吗?保费增长也不能再推迟一到两年,因为目前的保险索赔毕竟仍远远低于收取的保费。 梁文辉也表示,虽然政府一直不想透露国家储备状况,但根据目前以公布的资料而言,截至2020年3月底,我国共拥有1.35万亿元的金融资产。…

ICA alerts public of fake website which is phishing visa application and passport numbers

Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has alerted members of the public that…

【武汉冠状病毒】3月10日增六起病例 三例与裕廊SAFRA团拜晚宴有关联

根据新加坡卫生部文告,截至本月10日中午12时,本地新增六起武汉冠状病毒(COVID-19)确诊病例,其中三起与在裕廊SAFRA举行的歌唱班团拜晚宴有关联。 迄今为止上述晚宴感染群已累计39起病例,今日公布的第161、164和166例,都曾出席在上月15日举行的上述晚宴。 第161起时73岁男公民,也是早前第107例(68岁女公民)的家属。他在上月27日出现症状,由于经确认与107例有接触,在本月1日就转介到国家传染病中心,并在昨日中午确诊。 第164例则是57岁女性永久居民,以及第166例则是55岁女公民,他们都在今早确诊,也曾接触第134例(56岁歌唱导师)。 上述三人也都不曾到过境外感染重灾区。 至于第162例则是28岁男公民,曾在上月29日至本月2日,到过印尼,被指与第142例(26岁男公民)有关。根据卫生部两天前的文告,第142例的家人139例和140例,与团拜晚宴感染群有关联。 162例在本月7日出现症状,经确认与142例有接触,便在9日被转介到国家传染病,随后确诊。在入院前,他住在金榜路,曾到过位于惹兰孟比那26号一带的店屋。 至于第163例是27岁女公民,也同样经确认与第142例有关联,在本月9日转介到国家传染病中心。入院前住在红山路一带,曾到过福南商场和Woodleigh Park一带的PUB Recreation Club酒吧。 12人待在加护病房…