SERI BANDAR BEGAWAN, 25 MAY (Bernama) — The Brunei government announced on Tuesday that its Early Endemic Phase will end on May 31, and that COVID-19 control measures guidelines will be updated beginning in June.
As part of Brunei’s National COVID-19 Recovery Framework, the country moved to the Early Endemic Phase in December last year, when local infections gradually declined after the country imposed the most stringent social distancing measures, such as work from home and a curfew.
Some existing COVID-19 guidelines will be updated beginning June 1, when there will be no limit on the capacity of mass gatherings at home or in halls, according to Brunei’s COVID-19 Steering Committee, Xinhua reported.
All sporting activities, including competitions or matches, are permitted with no restrictions on the number of spectators. Food preparation for any event, including buffet meals, will be permitted on any premises.
There will be no age limit for all congregations at mosques to perform religious activities, and face masks should be worn in public buildings and crowded places outside.
The committee stated that the decision was made in light of the country’s stable COVID-19 situation, high vaccination rates, and low bed occupancy rates at isolation centres.
“As a result, we are able to return to our daily lives by adapting to the new normal,” the committee added, adding that the government is monitoring and reviewing requirements for reducing other restrictions such as code scans and border opening.
“The outcome of these evaluations will be announced to the public at a later date, subject to the current situation,” the committee said.
On Tuesday, Brunei reported 246 new COVID-19 cases, bringing the national total to 147,021. 69.7 percent of Brunei’s population had received three doses of vaccines as of Monday.
In Brunei, Pfizer, BioNTech, Moderna, AstraZeneca, and China’s Sinopharm administer COVID-19 vaccines. Brunei currently has 1,633 active cases being treated and monitored, with 145,166 recoveries.