As Singapore transitions to COVID-19 endemicity, premises managers should take active steps to ensure good ventilation, especially in enclosed, air-conditioned indoor environments. Good ventilation reduces the amount of virus aerosols and other indoor air pollutants that could be present. This will help mitigate the risk of aerosol-based transmission to protect the health of occupants, workers and general public in these premises. Measures to improve ventilation will also enhance our resilience against new COVID-19 variants of concern and future airborne infectious disease threats.

Ensuring good ventilation is critical in premises with higher risk of aerosol transmission, due to risk factors such as mask-off or bioaerosol-generating activities, prolonged time duration spent by occupants within the space, and/or the presence of vulnerable populations. A list of such higher risk premises is shown below. Managers of such premises should proactively ensure that these premises are always well-ventilated.  

List of premises with higher risk of aerosol transmission and/or presence of vulnerable group 

• Hospitals and clinics
• Eldercare facilities, including nursing homes and day activity centres
• Establishments with food and drinks served on-site*
• Gyms and fitness studios
  *Include food establishments, event venues, function rooms, nightlife establishments, karaoke establishments etc.

CO₂ monitoring can be used as a quick, easy-to-implement proxy for ventilation adequacy, and to identify pockets of under-ventilated spaces or overcrowding within the premises. High CO₂ levels imply that there is insufficient outdoor air intake and/or overcrowding, and measures should be taken to improve ventilation or reduce occupancy. Managers of higher risk premises should carry out CO₂ monitoring regularly and take prompt action to improve ventilation, where necessary.

For more information, please refer to appended Guide to Premises Managers on CO₂ Monitoring.

 https://www.nea.gov.sg/our-services/public-cleanliness/environmental-cleaning-guidelines/advisories/advisory-on-co2-monitoring-to-assess-ventilation-adequacy