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Patrons to have three VDS options to enter coffee shops, canteens starting March 7: Amy Khor
The three options are: area-bound VDS, time-bound VDS and area and time-bound VDS. PHOTO: ST FILE
Wallace Woon
Mar 6, 2022
SINGAPORE - From Monday (Mar 7), coffee shops and canteens will have three options on how Vaccinated Differentiated Safe Management Measures (VDS) will be implemented to control groups of five diners entering their premises.
The three options are: area-bound VDS, time-bound VDS and area and time-bound VDS.
The announcement was made in a Facebook post on Sunday by Senior minister of state for the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment Dr Amy Khor.
For the first option of an area-based VDS, coffeeshops and canteens will have to cordon off a specific area and implement access control and vaccination checks in order for diners to sit in groups of five.
Dining will be limited to two people in any areas beyond this cordoned section where there are no vaccination checks by a staff member.
The second option of time bound VDS will permit groups of five to dine together from 5pm to 10.30pm across the premises of the coffeeshop, if there are similar entry and vaccination status checks implemented.
Outside of this time period, diners will only be permitted to sit in twos.
The third option, which allows for operators to combine both area and time bound VDS. Groups of five diners will be permitted within a cordoned off area during the stipulated timings of 5pm till 10.30pm daily.
Access controls and checks on the vaccination status of diners must be similarly implemented and beyond the cordoned area and timings, diners will only be permitted to sit in pairs.
Operators of coffeeshops and canteens who wish to adopt one of the new VDS options will have to submit a proposal to the Singapore Food Agency (SFA)'s for endorsement.
This is to ensure that adequate measures have been put in place to safeguard public health.
Upon approval, operators will be required to display signs and posters to inform diners which VDS option is implemented at the premises.
Checks will be conducted by the SFA to ensure that VDS requirements are strictly adhered to.
In her post, Dr Khor said that these VDS options were developed after rounds of active consultation with operators and associations to explore solutions to resolve manpower and operational issues to conduct vaccination checks.
"We have had several dialogues with the coffeeshop operators and have heard their feedback about manpower constraints and operational challenges that some continue to face in order to implement vaccination checks for the entire premises.
"Due to the porous nature and layout of coffeeshops, it may be more challenging for them to implement VDS in its entirety, as compared to other food establishments," she said.
She added that the options will provide flexibility for business operations without compromising diners' safety and the current VDS requirements
Since the start of VDS on Nov 23 last year, 162 coffeeshops and canteens have successfully implemented entry checks for diners to ascertain their vaccination status.
Dr Khor said that the flexibility was welcomed by operators who have faced difficulties in implementing VDS in order to allow groups of five to dine-in at their premises.
She said: "Some operators have shared that the VDS checks are most critical during evening peak hours when more family members may dine-in at the coffeeshop and are also more likely to patronise stalls such as Zi Char and Mookata.
I thank the operators for their hard work, and the diners for their cooperation in ensuring a safe dining experience for all. Let us continue to do our part and keep up our good efforts to keep everyone safe. "
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