PM Lee Hsien Loong on the COVID-19 situation in Singapore on 3 April 2020

Read PM Lee Hsien Loong's English remarks translated into Chinese and Tamil below.

My fellow Singaporeans
Good afternoon

Update on current situation

I last spoke to you on COVID-19 three weeks ago.

Since then, the number of new cases daily has begun to rise. We used to see fewer than 10 new cases a day. But in the last two weeks, despite our best efforts, we have routinely had more than 50 new cases daily.

Initially, many of the new cases were imported from overseas, mostly returning Singaporeans. Then last week, we began to have more local cases. Furthermore, despite our good contact tracing, for nearly half of these cases, we do not know where or from whom the person caught the virus. This suggests that there are more people out there who are infected, but who have not been identified. And they may be passing the virus unknowingly to others.

In the last few days, we have also discovered several clusters at foreign worker dormitories, and one at a nursing home. These are very worrying, because large numbers of people live together in dormitories and nursing homes. A single case can quickly lead to a large cluster. Furthermore, nursing home patients are mostly old and frail, and very vulnerable to the virus.

Applying a circuit breaker

As the situation developed over the past weeks, we have tightened our safe-distancing measures progressively. Singaporeans have responded well, calmly and responsibly, and made adjustments in their daily lives. By working together, we have kept the outbreak under control.

But looking at the trend, I am worried that unless we take further steps, things will gradually get worse, or another big cluster may push things over the edge. I discussed this with the Multi-Ministry Task Force (MTF). We have decided that instead of tightening incrementally over the next few weeks, we should make a decisive move now to pre-empt escalating infections. We will therefore impose significantly stricter measures. This is like a circuit breaker. 

It will help reduce the risk of a big outbreak occurring. And it should also help to gradually bring our numbers down. This in turn will allow us to relax some of the measures. This circuit breaker will apply for one month, in the first instance. The Task Force is holding a Press Conference immediately after I finish speaking to you to explain the details. But let me give you the key points.

First, we will close most workplaces, except for essential services and key economic sectors. Food establishments, markets and supermarkets, clinics, hospitals, utilities, transport and key banking services will remain open. These are essential services. We also should not disrupt economic sectors that are strategic, or form part of a global supply chain. People working in these industries can continue to go to work, with safe-distancing measures in place. But most other work premises must close. If the person can work from home, he should do so — telecommute. But others will not be able to, including foreign workers on construction sites and in shipyards. These workers live in dormitories, and we will make arrangements to look after them. The closure of work places will take effect from next Tuesday. This will ensure that most of our workforce stay at home and limit their physical interaction to as few people as possible.

Second, we will also move to full home-based learning in our schools and Institutes of Higher Learning (IHLs). We started with one day of home-based learning this week. This has gone smoothly, with some teething issues being resolved. The Ministry of Education (MOE) will work with the schools to implement full home-based learning starting next Wednesday. All preschool and student care centres will also be closed, but will provide limited services for children of parents who have to continue working and are unable to make alternative care arrangements.

Third, we will tighten restrictions on movements and gatherings of people. It boils down to three things. First, stay at home, as much as possible. Second, avoid socialising with others beyond your own household. Gatherings should be confined to your household. Avoid visiting even your extended families who are not staying with you, especially if they are elderly or vulnerable. Third, go out only to do essential things. For work, if you are in essential services or key economic sectors. To buy food at markets, or to take out from restaurants and hawker centres. Or to exercise in the neighbourhood park, keeping a safe distance from others. 

The spirit of these measures is to get all of us to minimise physical contact. If we do not go out, if we avoid contact with others, then the virus will not be able to spread. It is as simple as that.

I know this is very hard to do. As a practical matter, in places like hawker centres and wet markets, it is difficult to practise safe-distancing, especially on the weekends when it is crowded. It will help if we all adjust our habits. For example, do our marketing on weekdays instead of weekends to avoid the crowd. We will also deploy more Safe-Distancing Ambassadors to encourage people not to crowd together, so please cooperate with them.

Safe-distancing is also hard for a psychological and emotional reason: it goes very much against our human instincts. It is in our nature to want to socialise, to be close to those we are talking to, to take comfort in the warmth and company of friends and family. I fully understand this. But I hope you will also understand why we all have to take social distancing extremely seriously in this period. This is the only effective way to slow the transmission of the virus, so that we gradually bring our numbers down. It is also the best way to keep our families safe, and particularly to protect our seniors from getting ill. So please bear with the painful adjustments that we have to make. Each and every one of us can, and must do our part, to keep everyone in Singapore safe from COVID-19.

Each and every one of us can, and must do our part, to keep everyone in Singapore safe from COVID-19.

PM Lee Hsien Loong

Let me now say a few words in Malay and Mandarin.

Saudara saudari sekalian.

Dalam beberapa minggu lepas, bilangan kes baru COVID-19 telah meningkat. Kami memantau perkembangan ini dengan teliti, dan mengetatkan langkah berjaga-jaga secara beransur-ansur. 

Rata-rata, rakyat Singapura mematuhi arahan. Bagi masyarakat Melayu/Islam, anda telah membuat beberapa pengorbanan dan penyesuaian yang besar, seperti kaum lain juga. Anda faham kenapa masjid ditutup, anda mengamalkan Salam Mufti, dan menundakan majlis keramaian yang penting seperti majlis perkahwinan. Seperti yang diterangkan Mufti, masyarakat Islam juga perlu membuat penyesuaian bagi Ramadan dan bulan Syawal yang bakal menjelang. Saya sendiri kecewa kita tidak akan ada bazar di Geylang Serai tahun ini. Kesal sekali! Tetapi ini tidak boleh dielakkan. Terima kasih kerana memberikan kerjasama anda. 

Keadaan masih terkawal. Tetapi Pemerintah bimbang sekiranya kes baru terus meningkat, mungkin kemudian bilangan kes akan melonjak dengan tinggi. Oleh itu, kami telah memutuskan untuk melaksanakan langkah berjaga-jaga yang lebih ketat, selama sebulan.

Kami akan menutup sebahagian besar tempat kerja, sekolah dan pra-sekolah. Tetapi perkhidmatan penting seperti pasar dan pasar raya, tempat makan, dan pengangkutan awam akan terus dibuka. Anda masih boleh mendapatkan barang-barang dapur anda, dan masih boleh membeli makanan di pusat penjaja. 

Kami juga akan menutup sekolah dan pusat pra-sekolah. Saya harap ibu bapa akan terus membimbing anak-anak anda ketika di rumah, supaya pendidikan mereka tidak terjejas. 

Kami akan perketat langkah-langkah untuk memastikan jarak selamat. Sebelum ini kami pernah katakan bahawa orang ramai boleh berkumpul, asalkan tidak melebihi 10 orang. Tetapi sekarang, kami mahu anda duduk di rumah jika boleh, dan elakkan daripada bergaul selain daripada lingkungan keluarga anda sendiri. 

Saya tahu ini suatu yang sangat susah untuk dilakukan, kerana kita semua mahukan teman dan berhubung dengan orang lain, serta berbual and beramah tamah bersama rakan-rakan dan saudara-mara kita. Tetapi saya harap anda boleh bersabar dengan apa yang kita harus laksanakan, dan patuhi peraturan demi keselamatan anda sendiri dan kita semua. 

各位同胞

过去几个星期，冠状病毒的确诊病例逐步增加。我们密切关注事态的发展，并且随着疫情的演变，逐步加紧防控措施，以保障国人的健康。非常感谢大家的合作，遵守相关的规定。

现在的情况继续受到控制。但我担心，如果这种趋势持续下去，我们迟早会面临病例大幅度增加的风险。因此，我们决定暂时采取更严格的措施，尽量减少人与人之间的接触，防止病毒扩散。这些措施将为期一个月。

我们将下令暂时关闭，提供非必要服务的商店。但是巴刹、超市、小贩中心、餐馆和公共交通等基本服务将照常营业。你还是可以买到日常用品，蔬菜，肉类等，也还可以向摊主购买食物，带回家享用。

我们也将关闭学校和学前教育中心。但我们会给你时间去安排，在关闭期间孩子由谁照料。我们会为那些还是需要工作，或是无法安排人手照顾孩子的父母亲提供协助。教育部长稍后会详细说明。

此外，我们将加强安全距离措施。过去的做法是，人们可以继续有聚会，只要人数不超过十个。但现在，我们希望你尽可能留在家里，除了与一起同住的家庭成员以外，请避免出门参加社交活动。我知道有些是大家庭，亲人也住得很近，不过在这一个月，也请大家忍耐一下，在这期间请不要互相拜访、串门或搬来搬去住，请暂时把住所定在一个地方。但希望大家继续以其他方式保持联络，例如视讯聊天或打电话，甚至可以写信。

我知道要严格遵守安全距离措施，并不容易。毕竟社交活动是我们日常生活的一个重要部分，我们都需要通过社交，感受到亲情和友情的温暖，都渴望有亲人和朋友在身边陪伴，相互扶持，排忧解闷，谈天说地。尤其是我们的乐龄人士，之前政府不得已，已经取消了大部分他们喜欢参与的活动，他们不能去上课、跟老朋友一起喝茶聊天、唱歌、跳舞、做运动，可能会觉得生活很单调。幸好，网上和电视上有很多节目让年长人士在家也可以继续过精彩的生活。例如华文媒体集团每天就推出一系列网上直播，邀请人民协会的教练和老师继续陪大家晨运、学习烹饪和唱歌。8频道也有电视节目教大家运动，分享保健贴士等等，让人们呆在家里也不会无聊。所以，在对抗疫情的非常时期，为了全民的健康，请大家必须暂时忍一忍，没有必要的话就不要出门。这么做既是照顾好自己，也是为了保护好我们的年长家人以及体弱的人士，避免他们受到感染。

我吁请大家积极配合这些新的防疫措施，齐心对抗疫情，保障我们的家人和新加坡的安全。

I decided to speak to you directly today to explain why we need to make this major move now, but also to reassure you that things will be alright. Essential services will continue running so that all of us can cope in this new situation, as we batten down to fight this virus. We have enough food supplies to last us through this period and beyond. You can still shop at the supermarket or wet market. And you need not rush to stock up for weeks at a time. You can still buy food from your favourite hawker centres or coffee shop, though you will have to take out and eat at home with your own family, rather than hang out and eat outside with your friends.

I know these measures will impact our workers and businesses severely. This is already a very difficult time for them. We will help them come through this. On Monday in Parliament, DPM Heng Swee Keat will announce additional support for households and businesses, over and above what was provided in the two earlier Budgets. We will also legislate to require landlords to pass on property tax rebates fully to their tenants. We will also pass new temporary legislation to let businesses and individuals defer certain contractual obligations for a period, such as paying rent, repaying loans, or completing work.

Face Masks

Besides implementing this circuit breaker, we also are rethinking our advice on face masks.

Up to now, the Government has advised the general public that you only need to wear a mask if you are not feeling well, and this is to protect others from your germs. This was based on scientific advice and guidelines from the World Health Organization (WHO). We also did not have community spread in Singapore then, so it was very unlikely for you to run into anyone with COVID-19 on the street, much less be infected by them. Nevertheless, the Government gave each household four surgical masks, to use in case you got sick, and to give people peace of mind.

Now, the situation is changing. We now think there are some cases out there in the community going undetected, though probably still not that many. We also now have evidence that an infected person can show no symptoms, and yet still pass on the virus to others. This is why the WHO is reviewing the issue of face masks, and so is the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Therefore, we will no longer discourage people from wearing masks. Wearing a mask may help to protect others, in case you have the virus but do not know it. This is so that you keep your droplets to yourself — when you sneeze or speak or cough. It can also protect yourself a little better, especially if you are elderly, or vulnerable because of pre-existing health conditions. 

We still want to conserve surgical masks for the people who really need them – healthcare workers in clinics and hospitals. For everyone else, in a community setting, alternatives like reusable masks will give some added protection. So from this Sunday, the Government will distribute reusable masks to all households. Meanwhile, many community groups have been making and distributing reusable masks for the elderly and vulnerable. I applaud these efforts. They show our community spirit and mutual care. 

But remember, mask or no mask, you still need to wash your hands, and keep a safe distance away from other people. 

Conclusion 

The next few weeks will be pivotal. Even after these stepped-up measures, the number of cases will quite likely still go up in the next few days. They can be cases who have already been infected earlier, except they have not yet shown symptoms, or not yet gone to see their doctor. But if we keep our efforts up, within a few weeks we should be able to bring the numbers under control, bring the numbers down, and get into a more sustainable position.

We will keep on doing our utmost to protect every Singaporean from COVID-19. Many people have been working tirelessly for the past two months  — our nurses and doctors, our contact tracers and healthcare staff. We thank them all for their efforts and sacrifices. Now we are all enlisted to join them on the frontline.  

It will be a long fight. But if any country can see this through, it is Singapore. We have the resources. We have the determination. We are united. By helping one another through this, we will prevail, and emerge stronger.

Thank you.

It will be a long fight. But if any country can see this through, it is Singapore.

PM Lee Hsien Loong

*****

Chinese Translation of the remarks In English by PM Lee Hsien Loong on the COVID-2019 Situation on 3 April 2020

各位同胞，大家下午好！

目前的最新情况

我上一次针对2019冠病疫情发表全国讲话，是在三个星期前。

此后，新加坡每一天的新确诊病例开始增加。之前，我国每一天的新病例一般上少过十起。但是，过去这两个星期，即便我们调整了措施，加强防范，却仍然会看到一天内出现50多起新病例的情况。

许多的新病例最初是境外输入的，而当中大多数是回返新加坡的同胞。不过，就在上个星期，本土感染病例却有增加的趋势。我们也发现，虽然在疫情追踪方面我们做得还不错，但有近一半的新病例，我们无法确定他们是在哪里受到感染，传播者是谁。这意味着，社区里可能有一些人已感染到病毒，但仍未被发现，而他们或许在无意间把病毒传开。

此外，过去几天，我们也在客工宿舍发现几个感染群，在安老院也出现一个感染群。这个情况令人十分担忧，因为这些地方有很多人居住在一起。一旦出现一个病例，就可能快速形成一个大规模的感染群。更何况，安老院的住户多数年纪大，身体也较弱，很容易感染病毒。 

阻断病毒的传播途径

鉴于疫情在过去几个星期的变化，我们也逐步加强了保持安全距离的措施。新加坡人也大致上保持冷静，应对这些措施。人们也很负责任地配合，在日常生活上作出调整。在大家的齐心努力之下，疫情大致上受到控制。

不过，按照目前的趋势来看，我担心如果不进一步加强防范，疫情会逐渐恶化，或是有一个大规模的感染群出现，而这会导致整个体系无法负荷。我与政府跨部门工作小组讨论之后决定，与其在接下来几周逐步调整措施，我们现在就应该在感染人数不断上升之前，采取果断的行动 。因此，我们将在今后一段时期内采取更严格的措施，以阻断病毒的传播途径。

这是为了减低病毒在本地大规模传播的风险。 同时也应该会让我国受感染的人数逐渐减少 。人数若能下降，我们也就能解除一些措施。这些旨在阻断病毒传播的措施，将先实行一个月。在我的发言结束之后，跨部门工作小组会立即举行记者会，公布详情。不过，让我简单地概括其中的要点。 

首先，大部分提供非必需品或服务的场所将暂时关闭 ，不过提供必要服务的场所和属于主要经济领域的行业可以继续运作。饮食场所和饮食相关的商家、小贩中心、巴刹和超市、主要银行服务、诊所、医院、公用事业和交通服务等将照常营业，这些都是提供必要服务的场所。那些对国家具有战略意义的经济领域，又或者是全球供应链的行业之一，也不会受新措施影响，这些领域会继续运作。从事这些行业的人，可继续上班，但须遵守安全距离措施 。所有其他的工作场所都要关闭。如果能够在家办公，员工都应这么做。但也有一些人的工作性质，让他们无法在家办公，其中包括在建筑工地和船厂工作的客工。我们会做出妥善的安排，照顾这些住在宿舍的客工。这项措施会在下个星期二生效，并将确保我们的劳动队伍大多数都留在家里，尽可能避免与他人见面和接触。

第二，我们也将让学校和高等院校（IHLs），的学生们在家里上课 。我们刚刚在这个星期开始让学生每周一天在家中学习 。这次的测试还算顺利，虽然碰到了一些小问题，但已获得解决。教育部将和学校合作，从下个星期三起让学生全面在家里上课。我们也将关闭所有的学前教育中心和学生托管中心，但会为需要继续工作并找不到人手照顾孩子的家长，提供有限的服务。

第三，我们将加强民众的行动管制以及限制聚会的措施。我们会通过三方面推行这些措施。第一，大家应尽可能留在家中，不要外出。第二，不要和家人以外的人士见面和互动。聚会和互动应只限于你家中的成员。请尽量不要上门拜访不和自己住在一起的家人，尤其是年纪较大和免疫力较弱的家人。第三，只在有必要的时候才出门。例如，如果你是在必要服务和主要经济领域工作，而必须外出上班、到巴刹买菜，或到餐馆和小贩中心打包食物、或是到邻里公园运动，但切记要和他人保持安全距离。

这些措施的用意，是要大家都减少与人有近距离的接触。只要我们不出门，就不会和他人接触。只要不和他人接触，病毒就不会有机会传播。这个道理很简单 。

尽管大家都懂，但要求人人都做到，并不容易。实际上，像小贩中心和湿巴刹这类场所，到了周末，到那里的人会多，会拥挤，这一来就很难保持安全距离了。但如果我们都可以调整生活习惯，这将有助于防范病毒传播，比如，选择在周日去买菜，避开人潮。接下来，我们也会调派更多“安全距离大使”到全岛各地，提醒人们严格遵守规定，请大家听从他们的劝告， 给予配合。

但我明白，要保持安全距离，也有违人之常情，因此会让我们在心理上和情绪上一时难以适应。人的本性是喜欢与他人社交互动，而且与人谈话交流，总不能距离太远。在生活中，我们难免渴望有亲人和朋友在身边陪伴，相互扶持，互相取暖。这些，我完全能够理解 。但我希望大家能明白，为什么有必要在这个非常时期，非常认真地看待这些安全距离措施 。因为，这是减缓病毒传播速度最有效的方法，以逐步减少我国受感染的人数。这也是保护我们家人的安全，以及避免家中长辈染病的最佳方式。因此，请大家做出困难但必要的调整，暂时忍受一些不便，让这些举措行之有效。我们每一个人都必须、也能够尽自己的一份力，谨慎防疫，共同保护你我的安全。

我之所以决定在今天再度发言，是为了亲自向大家解释我们为什么需要现在就采取这一重大举措 。

同时也是为了让大家放心，告诉国人，我们已有所安排，接下来不会出现大问题 。我们将确保基本服务能够持续运行，让大家可以迅速适应新的情况，做好长期应战的心理准备。我们有足够的食物供应，可供我们度过这段时期和更长的时间。你还是可以到超市或湿巴刹买东西。超市也会继续补货，因此你不必为了日后所需，急着大量囤积食物和必需品。你也依旧可以吃到自己喜爱的小贩中心或咖啡店的美食。但我们会要求你打包回家和家人一起吃，而不是与朋友一起到这些地方用餐 。

我知道，这些措施会对我们的工友和企业造成严重的影响。他们在这段时间的处境已经相当困难。我们会与他们肩并肩，帮助他们渡过难关。下个星期一国会复会时，副总理王瑞杰将宣布为家庭和企业提供额外援助。这是之前财政预算案和追加预算案之外的援助配套。我们也将立法规定业主把享有的产业税回扣全数转给租户，以及立法推出临时援助措施，帮助因受到疫情影响而暂时无法履行合约义务的企业和个人，让他们不必为无法缴交租金、偿还贷款或完成工作而感到担忧。

口罩

除了采取阻断病毒传播的措施，我们也重新探讨使用口罩的建议。

一直以来，政府建议公众只有在生病时，才要戴上口罩，这能保护他人不会因你散播的细菌而染病。这是按照世界卫生组织指导原则所提出的建议，并且有科学根据。而且，本地当时还没有出现社区传播的情况，所以一般人走在街上，是不太可能接触到冠病患者，更不可能被他们感染。尽管如此，政府较早前还是给每户家庭分发了4个口罩，好让大家安心。

但是，目前的疫情已经有所演变。我们现在认为，社区已出现了一些来源不明的病例，不过人数应该还没那么多。同时，我们也有证据显示一些人已感染病毒，却没有出现症状，并且可能把病毒传给别人。这也就是为什么世界卫生组织和美国疾病控制与预防中心都在检讨口罩的问题。

因此，我们今后不会再建议人们没有生病就无需戴口罩，因为这么做或许有助于保护他人，以防自己染病却不知道，而无意间在打喷嚏、说话或咳嗽时，把飞沫喷到别人身上或脸上。同时，这也给自己多添一层保护，尤其是那些年长或已患有其他疾病、免疫力较弱的人。 

即便这样，我们还是要尽可能把手术口罩保留给最需要它们的人——如医院和诊所的医护人员。对大众来说，在一般情况下，则可以戴上能够重复使用的口罩，让自己有多一份保障。因此，政府会从这个星期日起，向每户家庭分发可重复使用的口罩。这段期间也有许多社区组织自动自发，为年长和免疫力较弱的人士制作和分发可重复使用的口罩。他们的举止体现了社区有温情和人情味的一面，很值得表扬。

但请大家记住–不管戴不戴口罩，我们还须勤洗手，并且与其他人保持安全距离。

总结

接下来的几个星期非常关键。尽管我们采取这些更严格的措施，加紧防疫，接下来的几天我国的确诊人数预料还会增加。这些病例或许是之前已经受到感染的人，只不过他们还没有出现症状，或者还没去看医生。只要我们继续努力，我们应该能够在几个星期内减缓疫情的发展，让新病例有所减少，并达到一个更可持续的状态。

我们必须坚持下去，同病毒对抗，竭尽所能保护每一个新加坡人。过去两个月，有许多人在防疫的前线日以继夜、不眠不休地工作我们的护士和医生、追踪小组的人员以及护理人员。我们感谢他们的辛劳付出。现在是我们和他们在前线并肩作战的时刻。

这会是一场长期的战役。纵观全世界，新加坡是最可能挺过这次危机的国家之一，因为我们有资源，有决心，人民也团结一致。让我国上下一心，发挥互助互爱，同舟共济的新加坡精神。这样，我们终将击败病毒，取得胜利，越战越勇 。

谢谢。