The authorities have said it before: the COVID-19 situation here in Singapore is so dynamic and fluid, whatever measures that are announced yesterday might be different today.
For example, just yesterday, it’s not just people who are coming back from countries with many COVID-19 who would be served an SHN; more countries, including the UK and Switzerland, are now included in the list, too. You can read more on the reasons here.
And today, it’s announced that mosques would remain close until next Thursday (26 March), which means this week’s Friday prayers won’t be held in mosques as well.
All Mosques in S’pore To Remain Closed Until 26 March 2020
Last Thursday, it was announced that as almost 90 Singaporeans had participated in a mass event in Kuala Lumpur from 27 Feb to 1 Mar 2020 which comprise people who had the coronavirus, and that these Singaporeans had come back to Singapore mosques, all mosques would be closed for five days from then on.
All mosque activities, lectures, religious classes and mosque based kindergarten sessions from 13 Mar to 27 Mar, too.
It has been about five days now, and with five people being infected so far, all mosques in Singapore will remain closed for at least another nine days until 26 March 2020.
This means this Friday’s prayers will be suspended.
The mosques would however resume calls to prayers on Tuesday, and will produce more online contents to continue guiding the community.
Muis has also indicated that upon reopening of the mosques on 26 March (if there is no extension), mosques will implement enhanced measures:
- Conducting mandatory non-contact temperature taking of all congregants, those who are unwell will be turned away.
- Requiring congregants to bring their own personal prayer items i.e. sejadah (prayer mats) for all and telekung for ladies.
- Conducting physical checks to identify at-risk congregants and to turn away congregants who are unwell.
- Institutionalising full contact tracing regimen for all congregants entering mosques.
- Not having handshakes at the end of prayers or engage in any physical greetings among congregants.
Also, Muis has released a list of mosques that were visited by the five COVID-19 patients during their “infectious period”.
In total, they had visited 10 different mosques in Singapore between 3 March and 11 March:
Masjid-Al-Iman
10 Bukit Panjang Road, S679943
- 5 March 2020, 8am to 9am
- 6 March 2020, 6am to 7.30pm
Masjid Al-Muttaqin
5140 Ang Mo Kio Avenue, S569844
- 6 March 2020, 1pm to 2pm; 4pm to 6pm
Masjid Hajjah Fatimah
4001 Beach Road, S199584
- 6 March 2020, 9.30pm to 12am
Masjid Hajah Rahimabi Kebun Limau
76 Kim Keat Road, S328835
- 4 March 2020, 5.45am to 6.45am
- 5 March 2020, 5.45am to 6.45am
- 6 March 2020, 1pm to 2pm
- 7 March 2020, 5.30pm to 7pm
Masjid Kassim
450 Changi Road, Wisma Indah, S419877
- 7 March 2020, 5.30pm to 9pm
Masjid Petempatan Melayu Sembawang
27B Jalan Mempurong, S759055
- 4 March 2020, 8pm to 10pm
- 8 March 2020, 8pm to 10pm
- 11 March 2020, 8pm to 10pm
Masjid Sultan
3 Muscat Street, S198833
- 9 March 2020, 11am to 4pm
Masjid Al-Mawaddah
151 Compassvale Bow, S544997
- 3 March 2020, 7pm to 7.30pm
- 4 March 2020, 7pm to 7.30pm
- 5 March 2020, 7pm to 7.30pm
- 6 March 2020, 1.30pm to 2pm; 7pm to 7.30pm
- 8 March 2020, 7pm to 7.30pm
- 9 March 2020, 7pm to 7.30pm
- 10 March 2020, 4pm to 7.30pm
Masjid Jamae (Chulia)
218 South Bridge Road, S058767
- 9 March 2020, 7pm to 10pm
Masjid Al-Istiqamah
2 Serangoon North Avenue 2, S555876
- 11 March 2020, 6.45pm to 10pm
In the meantime, stay safe!
