TraceTogether & SafeEntry To Be Enhanced In Preparation For Further Opening Of The Economy

TraceTogether And SafeEntry To Be Enhanced In Preparation For Further Opening Of The Economy

09 Sep 2020

The TraceTogether (TT) Programme has helped to raise the speed and effectiveness of our contact tracing. We will commence nation-wide distribution of TT Tokens starting from 14 September and aim to complete the distribution by November. This will enable more Singapore residents to be protected by the TT Programme, particularly the elderly who may not have a suitable smart phone to operate the App.

We will enhance SafeEntry to work more closely with TT. For certain venues with higher-risk activities such as larger-scale business-to-business events, SafeEntry will require the TT App or Token to check in. Supplementing SafeEntry with proximity data from TT will enhance safety for participants, as they will be ensured of coverage under the TT Programme. This “TT-only SafeEntry” will first be piloted at selected venues, and will be expanded over time once the national distribution of the TT Tokens is well underway.

From 10 September, a new Self-Check service and SMS service will be launched so that people can be alerted if they have visited the same venues at the same time as COVID-19 cases. Both services will be based on individuals’ SafeEntry records.

These measures will support the further opening of the economy by ensuring more effective contact tracing for the community.

TT PROGRAMME HAS AUGMENTED THE CONTACT TRACING PROCESS

The TT Programme – comprising the TT App on smart phones and the TT Token – provides the initial list of close contacts of COVID-19 positive cases. Together with SafeEntry and associated digital systems, the TT Programme has enabled the contact tracing teams to reduce the time taken to identify and quarantine a close contact, from 4 days to less than 2 days currently. TT has also expanded the coverage of contact tracing, and has reduced the possibility of a close contact being inadvertently left out of quarantine.

TT TOKEN DISTRIBUTION TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO START FROM 14 SEP 2020

The first batch of TT Tokens was distributed to 10,000 vulnerable seniors from 28-30 June. In a survey conducted by the Silver Generation Office, close to 90% of the recipients found it convenient to carry the Token with them when they leave home, and more than 70% would bring the Token out most of the time.

Over the next few months, the Government will begin nation-wide distribution of TT Tokens to the general public at community sites. As the elderly are at greater health risk from COVID-19, and are also less likely to own a smart phone, distribution of the Tokens will begin at communities with higher concentrations of elderly. Distribution will start in the Jalan Besar and Tanjong Pagar regions, at 20 community centres/clubs (CCs) from 14 September 2020[^1]

[^1]: The CCs opening hours are from 10am – 6pm daily, except on public holidays. For CCs located at void decks, the operating hours are from 2pm – 6pm, except public holidays

The distribution exercise will be progressively extended throughout Singapore, according to the tentative schedule listed in Annex A (pdf - 90kb). As the actual distribution progresses, scheduled dates might be adjusted. Residents can go to the TokenGoWhere website to find the latest schedule and locate a site convenient for them. Residents can also refer to community notice boards, digital display panels, or their local CC social media channels for more information on the distribution exercise. Those who do not mind travelling further and wish to collect the Token earlier can visit any of the sites listed on the TokenGoWhere website to do so.

Besides the elderly, individuals who do not have a smart phone on which to download the TT App will benefit from using the Token. The Tokens also provide an option for those who prefer a separate device to contribute to the national effort to support digital contact tracing, rather than downloading the App on their phone.

More details about the TT Token can be found in Annex B (pdf - 150kb).

TRACETOGETHER-ONLY SAFEENTRY CHECK-IN FOR DESIGNATED PLACES

Since 3 July 2020, GovTech has updated the TT App to enable the App to be used for SafeEntry check-in by scanning the QR code of the activity or venue through the App.

Starting from October 2020, larger-scale business-to-business (B2B) events such as meetings and conferences that are being piloted will require all participants to have a TT App or Token to conduct SafeEntry check-in. SNDGG and MOH will work with the event organisers to ensure that TT Tokens are available on-site for distribution and registration for individuals without the TT App. This was trialled at the first MICE pilot event held at the end of August which was attended physically by Singapore-based attendees, and virtually by international attendees.

Beyond the B2B events, more activities and venues would progressively trial TT-only SafeEntry to make such activities safer for the rest of Singapore by reducing the risk of onward spread, and facilitating future relaxations where possible. These are settings where there may be close interaction among attendees, where masks may not be worn at all times due to the nature of the activities, and/or where there is high human traffic that is harder to monitor. This would include venues such as hotels (e.g. for wedding functions), F&B outlets, cinemas, gyms and certain workplaces. As such settings have the potential to spark off large outbreaks from a single positive COVID-19 case that spread beyond the activity or venue, the use of TT can facilitate rapid and comprehensive contact tracing to stem onward spread.

To give the public time and opportunity to collect the Token, we will first implement TT-only SafeEntry at a few selected venues (where TT Tokens will be distributed on-site for those who need them). We will progressively expand TT-only SafeEntry to other venues only after the national distribution of the TT Tokens is well underway. We are also working with the private sector who are interested in supplying contact tracing tokens to companies, to ensure that these Tokens and the national TT Token can mutually detect one another and contribute to a unified contact tracing ecosystem.

Where TT-only SafeEntry is implemented, SafeEntry check-in must be performed either by (a) scanning the activity or venue QR code using the TT App on your mobile phone; or (b) having the activity organisers or venue staff scan the unique QR code on the TT Token registered to you.

GovTech will also be testing new solutions that can help increase the convenience and improve the user experience of TT-only SafeEntry.

NEW SERVICE LAUNCHED FOR PUBLIC TO SELF-MONITOR HEALTH BASED ON SAFEENTRY RECORDS

MOH currently publishes a list of public locations visited by COVID-19 cases during their infectious period.

Responding to public feedback, we will introduce a SafeEntry Location Matching Self-Check service for individuals to check whether they have been in close proximity to COVID-19 cases, based on their own SafeEntry records. This Self-Check service will be available on an updated version of the TT App that is available from 10 September. Individuals can also access the Self-Check service via SingPass Mobile, or at https://wereyouthere.safeentry.gov.sg (with SingPass login).

In addition, SMS notification alerts will be sent to a smaller group of individuals who were at locations that are assessed to pose a higher risk of transmission, such as dining places and gyms where people do not wear masks for extended periods of time. Those whose SafeEntry check-in and check-out timings overlap with the COVID-19 case in such locations will receive an SMS alert. The SMS notification service will begin from 10 September.

To ensure the accuracy of the Self-Check service and SMS service, we need businesses to provide accurate SafeEntry address records, including postal codes. Individuals are reminded to provide updated phone numbers for their TT App (or SingPass Mobile/ SafeEntry QR webform, as the case may be). Individuals should check-in and check-out of locations promptly using SafeEntry to avoid any erroneous notifications from these 2 services. This also helps our contact tracers more accurately establish links and transmission chains. Please refer to Annex C (pdf - 210kb) for details on who will receive the targeted SMS, and who will be able to access SafeEntry records for the Self-Check service.

The above measures and features will help prepare us for the further reopening of our economy and society. By actively participating in the TT Programme and using SafeEntry, we can all play our part to stay ahead of the pandemic and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.

For media enquiries, please contact:

CHIA Suat Ning (Ms)
Manager, Adoption and Engagement Directorate
Smart Nation and Digital Government Office, Prime Minister’s Office, Singapore
Tel: 8182 8052
Email: CHIA_Suat_Ning@pmo.gov.sg

Melissa TAN (Ms)
Manager, Corporate Communications Division
Ministry of Health, Singapore
Tel: 6325 8603 / 9797 5067
Email: Melissa_EX_TAN@moh.gov.sg