Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions (Phase Three)

Capacity Limits

1. What is the safe capacity limit for a place of worship at any one time?

From 28 December 2020:
- ROs can conduct congregational and other worship services for up to 250 persons (in zones of up to 50 persons each) subject to safe management measures and the safe capacity of the premises.
- ROs may also concurrently conduct other permitted religious activities up to a total of 150 persons on-site, and only if these activities can be conducted safely at separate locations within the place of worship.
  - Specific limits on certain activities (e.g. 30 persons for funerals and wakes, 50 persons for religious classes, 100 persons for marriage solemnizations) will continue to apply.
- There must be sufficient signs and directions to guide the different parties such that they do not interact or meet with parties from other zones while entering, exiting, or while in the premises.
While the capacity limits for worship services and other permitted religious activities has been raised, ROs are encouraged to reduce the number of concurrent physical gatherings and the number of people on-site.

2. Can I have concurrent worship services (e.g. different language services) How many persons are allowed at each service?

Yes, this is permitted but ROs must work within the total cap of 250 persons (with effect 28 Dec 2020) for these worship services.
- For example: if there are two concurrent worship services, each can be allocated a limit of 100 and 150 persons respectively.
These concurrent services must be conducted safely at separate locations within the place of worship, with adequate signs and directions to guide the different congregations such that they do not interact or meet each other while entering, exiting or while in the premises.

3. With the increase in limit for worship services, may a worshipper pray with family and friends in a group larger than 8 persons?

No. Worshippers must keep to the prevailing group size limits, i.e. 8 persons (an increase from 5 persons today) from 28 Dec 2020.
- To reduce the likelihood of spread, we should continue to limit our social circle to a small group of regular contacts.
Groups of worshippers must be 1 metre apart, and there must be no mixing between groups.
Religious Organisations (ROs) should endeavour that worshippers keep to their natural groupings (e.g. family members, friends) and not place worshippers who do not know each other in a group.

4. My premises are very large with multiple prayer halls. Can I have multiples of 250 persons for worship services in Phase Three?

No. The limit of 250 persons for worship services (with effect from 28 Dec 2020) applies to all places of worship, regardless of the premise size. This is to manage the risks of conducting worship services at a larger scale and to allow ROs to gain familiarity in implementing the requisite safe management measures.

5. Is the number of visitors to the columbaria in my temple included in my premise capacity limit?

Yes. From 28 Dec 2020, there can be a maximum of 150 persons in the premises taking part in various permitted religious activities (excluding congregational and other worship services). This limit excludes the religious and essential workers, whose numbers should be kept to a minimum.

6. Can I open the ancestral hall at my temple to visitors?

Yes. Similar to visitors to columbaria in places of worship, visitors to the ancestral hall should maintain a safe distancing of at least 1 metre between individuals at all times.
Families who visit in groups are limited to no more than 8 persons (with effect from 28 Dec 2020) in a group, with safe distancing of at least 1 metre between groups. These visits should be kept as short as possible, with no mingling between groups.

7. How many religious workers, staff and volunteers are we allowed to deploy on-site for worship services? Will this count towards the cap of 250 persons for worship services?

Places of worship may deploy the required manpower to facilitate worship services and other permitted religious activities. The manpower must be limited to essential tasks, kept to a minimum and adhere to safe management measures.
The cap of 250 persons (with effect from 28 Dec 2020) for worship services excludes the manpower deployed for this purpose.
Places of worship can refer to MCCY’s volunteer management guide for best practices for managing volunteers[1].

[1] Refer to: https://www.mccy.gov.sg/about-us/news-and-resources/press-statements/2020/dec/Guidelines-for-volunteer-management-during-covid19-pandemic-28dec2020

8. I am conducting religious classes. Can I have multiple groups of 8 in the same room?

Yes, with effect from 28 Dec 2020, there can be multiple groups of 8 (so long as each group is separated by at least 1 metre with no mingling across groups. Each religious class must not exceed 50 persons (including the religious worker / teacher[2] and supporting workers, if any).
As a best practice, we encourage a greater separation of 2 metres between groups of students attending religious classes.
With effect from 28 Dec 2020, ROs must keep within the premise limit of 150 persons (for religious classes and other permitted religious activities excluding congregational and other worship services).

[2] Persons who are speaking to a group in a classroom or lecture-style setting, where they largely remain at the spot from which they are speaking, may wear face shields in lieu of masks, and must be at least 1 metre away from any other individual.

9. How do we regulate worshipper / devotee flow on-site?

Religious organisations can consider various best practices such as only allowing worshippers to enter the place of worship by appointment or use a booking system for the worship service.

Submission of Safe Management Plans

10. Do ROs need to submit SMPs before proceeding with 250-persons worship services? What if my RO does not wish to involve live performance elements?

Yes. ROs that wish to tap on any of the Phase Three allowances (e.g. conduct worship services at higher limits, involve live performance elements for worship services) will be required to submit an updated SMP with the additional SMMs at least three days before commencing.
This includes ROs that have previously submitted their Phase Two SMPs.
ROs that have yet to submit their SMPs after the effective date of Phase Three may only continue with the permitted religious activities under Phase Two parameters.

11. Can my RO conduct 250-persons worship services with live performances immediately from the start of Phase Three?

ROs that have not conducted congregational and other worship services for more than 100 worshippers with live performance elements must phase these in so that ROs can dedicate bandwidth to ensure that SMMs are well adhered to before resuming further activities.
For a start, ROs may proceed with congregational and other worship services at 250 persons without live performance elements or proceed with congregational and other worship services for 100 persons with live performance elements. ROs that wish to tap on any of the Phase Three allowances will be required to submit an updated SMP with the additional SMMs at least three days before commencing. This includes ROs that have previously submitted their Phase Two SMPs.
ROs that have yet to submit their SMPs after the effective date of Phase Three may only continue with the permitted religious activities under Phase Two parameters.

General

12. Can I pray in the same group with family members and friends who are not part of my household, at the place of worship?

Yes. From 28 Dec 2020, worshippers can participate in permitted religious activities in a larger group made up of not more than 8 persons (an increase from 5 persons today).
Groups of worshippers must be 1 metre apart, and there must be no mixing between groups.

13. Must I wear a mask at the place of worship, even while praying?

Yes, everyone (except children below 6 years of age) entering places of worship must wear their masks at all times.
Children twelve years and below, as well as persons who have health conditions that may result in breathing or other medical difficulties when a mask is worn for a prolonged period of time, may wear a face shield in lieu of a face mask[3].
Young children are strongly encouraged to use a mask or face shield, especially if they are in a group setting (e.g. in worship service or religious class) or when interacting with others.

[3] Refer to: https://www.moh.gov.sg/news-highlights/details/guidance-for-use-of-masks-and-face-shields

14. Can the worship leader be unmasked for preaching in the worship service?

Persons can be unmasked (and not require face shields) for speaking only for the duration of the congregational and other worship services, and religious rites as part of the permissible number of unmasked persons.

15. Can a religious worker make house visits to conduct prayers?

Religious workers who need to make a house visit should abide by the prevailing restrictions on household visitors, where visits are limited to 8 visitors (with effect from 28 Dec 2020) at a time.
The prayers should be kept short. The religious worker and those present in the home should comply with safe distancing and other safe management measures.

16. Can food and drinks be served at places of worship (e.g. wedding receptions, as part of worship services)?

No. ROs are not permitted to serve food and drinks at places of worship.