Most of Singapore’s haze measures will end tomorrow (Nov 7), including the distribution of masks and the running of haze shelters, as inter-monsoon conditions and more rain lessen the the risk of transboundary haze reaching the city-state.
The haze subsidy scheme will cease from Nov 12, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Nov 5.
NEA’s daily 24-hour PSI (Pollutant Standards Index) forecast – which has been issued every evening for over two months – will also end on Nov 7.
The distribution of haze masks will conclude at 6pm on Nov 7.
On the same day and time, air-conditioned rooms at community clubs and selected Residents’ Committee (RC) and Residents’ Network (RN) Centres that serve as haze shelters will also close.
The 28-agency haze task force will also be stood down.
As at Oct 29, close to 30% of eligible Singaporeans – including seniors aged 60 and above, pregnant women and children – had collected masks from vending machines and community clubs and other points.
The distribution of masks and the opening of haze shelters at air-conditioned rooms in community clubs began on Oct 14, after the levels of PM2.5 – the dominant pollutant during haze – surged to very high levels in the western region.
Haze shelters were also set up in integrated community hubs, as well as RC and RN Centres.
Nov 11 is the last day for patients to see a doctor under the haze subsidy scheme, which was activated on Oct 12.
As at Oct 31, over 100,000 visits were recorded at GP clinics participating in the scheme, and more than 60,000 visits were logged at the polyclinics, said the Ministry of Health in a separate statement on Nov 5.
Under the scheme, eligible Singapore citizens pay no more than $10 for treatment of haze-related ailments at more than 1,300 private general practitioner clinics and polyclinics.
With the improvement in air quality conditions, the Ministry of Manpower will also stand down its haze-related measures for outdoor workers from Nov 7.
“Employers may resume outdoor work without the additional haze-related precautions,” said NEA.
Overall, Singapore has experienced more than seven weeks of haze in 2026, starting from Sept 4, when air quality first entered the unhealthy range.
Bouts of haze then continued to hit the country until air quality improved from around Oct 26.
The weatherman said on Oct 29 that changing wind conditions due to the onset of the inter-monsoon in Singapore will likely lower the risk of transboundary haze affecting the Republic. The inter-monsoon period is characterised by lighter, more variable winds.
Together with wetter conditions over Singapore and the nearby areas, the smoke haze situation for Singapore is expected to improve.
Inter-monsoon conditions have been progressively setting in over Singapore and the surrounding region with the weakening of the south-west monsoon.
That monsoon season is characterised by winds blowing from the south, which had pushed the pollution from the fires in Indonesia to Singapore over the past two months.
The PSI forecast for Nov 6 is expected to be in the moderate range from 51 to 80. For Nov 6 and the weekend, showers and variable winds over Singapore and the surrounding region should keep the haze situation suppressed, added NEA.
While wind conditions have become more favourable around Singapore alongside more rainfall, fires are still burning in Indonesia. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre’s website showed hot spots in Kalimantan and Sumatra on Nov 5 after 5pm.
Moderate to dense smoke haze was observed over the southern parts of Kalimantan. THE STRAITS TIMES
