Religious organisations, including churches, are encouraged to continue recording and broadcasting services online, said MCCY in an announcement today (May 15). However, there are new guidelines for on-location productions.

From May 16 through June 13, a maximum of 15 persons is allowed on location for these productions. Out of these, 10 can be unmasked at any one time, with no more than 2 persons unmasked for singing and/or playing wind/brass instruments. 

Those singing and/or playing wind/brass instruments must maintain 2 metres between all other individuals. All other persons present must maintain a 1-metre separation.

The time spent on location for the production should be kept as short as possible, and the production team must put in place safe management measures, including no cross deployment between locations and a thorough cleaning of technical equipment. There can be no audience.

The new tighter measures of the Phase 2 (Heightened Alert) guidelines also include no mask-off activities indoors and a group size of 2, down from the previous 5.

Full details for church activities (subject to safe management measures and the safe capacity of the premises) are as follows:

• Congregational and other worship services will be limited to 100 persons: Up to 50 without pre-event testing (PET) and up to 100 with PET for all attendees;
• No live singing and playing of wind/brass instruments;
• Onsite worship services should be kept as short as possible, with no reception or mingling between worshippers;
• Live performance elements are permitted during the worship service, with a maximum of 30 masked persons, onstage, backstage or off stage, keeping a 3-metre setback between themselves and the worshippers;
• No sharing of prayer and other common items;
• Suspension of all other non-congregational religious activities (for instance, classes for adults and children);
• Marriage solemnisations (without reception) may continue for up to 100 with PET and up to 50 without PET. This includes the wedding couple;
• Funeral attendance has been reduced to 20, down from the previous limit of 30. This applies to all days of the funeral, including the wake/funeral/burial/cremation.

A review will be done in two weeks at “the midway point” of the latest measures to determine if further adjustments need to be made, said Education Minister Lawrence Wong at yesterday’s virtual press conference.

RELATED STORY:

This pastor is “brother” to thousands of migrant workers