The inconvenience of checking in and out with SafeEntry at different stores within a shopping centre will be a thing of the past once compulsory TraceTogether-only SafeEntry kicks in.
A single check-in with the TraceTogether app or token at public venues such as malls will suffice in the future, according to a written parliamentary reply on Monday.
Currently, people who visit public places with high visitor traffic or a high transmission risk of Covid-19 – malls, dine-in eateries and workplaces, for example – must check in using SafeEntry or TraceTogether for contact tracing purposes in the event of a detected coronavirus case.
They have to check in again when entering other places within the venue, such as large shops or supermarkets in a mall.
Check-ins using TraceTogether are not mandatory for now.
But checking in at individual places within the venue would not be needed if a customer checks in using TraceTogether-only SafeEntry in future.
Senior Minister Teo Chee Hean said in a written parliamentary reply to Mr Leon Perera (Aljunied GRC) that with the better TraceTogether coverage after the implementation of TraceTogether-only SafeEntry at public places, “we will also remove some existing SafeEntry check-ins to minimise public inconvenience”.
But there will be exceptions. Regardless of prior check-ins, patrons need to still check in with TraceTogether-only SafeEntry at establishments where the transmission risk is higher. This is because people are likely to be in close proximity for long periods of time or may remove their masks for legitimate reasons, like to exercise in a gym or eat at a food and beverage outlet, said Mr Teo, who is also Coordinating Minister for National Security.
Over 80 per cent of the population have downloaded the TraceTogether app or collected the token.
The Smart Nation and Digital Government Office said last month that TraceTogether-only SafeEntry will be implemented “only after everyone has had a chance to collect a token in their constituencies, and a reasonable period of national distribution is achieved”.
When TraceTogether-only SafeEntry is implemented, people will not be able to check in by scanning the SafeEntry QR code with a phone camera or the SingPass mobile app, or their NRIC barcodes.
On Monday, Mr Teo said the Government estimates that more than half of the 40,000 public venues, where SafeEntry is now mandatory, have begun accepting TraceTogether token check-ins and are also ready to implement TraceTogether-only SafeEntry.
He added that safe distancing ambassadors will guide businesses in using the free SafeEntry Business app to scan the QR codes on TraceTogether tokens for check-ins. The Government has also published online guides on using the app.
“We are working on potential solutions that would make it more convenient for public-facing businesses to enable the checking-in of TraceTogether tokens and TraceTogether-only SafeEntry. Details will be announced later,” he said.
