- Title: Live comedy show sells out despite Singapore's COVID surge
- Date: 26th September 2021
- Summary: SINGAPORE (SEPTEMBER 26, 2021) (REUTERS) STAGE OF SOLD-OUT "KUMAR UNMASKED" STAND UP COMEDY SHOW
- Embargoed: 10th October 2021 13:40
- Keywords: COVID-19 Kumar Unmasked Singapore live comedy show pandemic social distancing measures
- Location: SINGAPORE
- City: SINGAPORE
- Country: Singapore
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Arts/Culture/Entertainment
- Reuters ID: LVA001EWCTNIF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:A coronavirus-themed stand-up comedy show in Singapore sold out on its final night on Sunday (September 26) as the city state hit record new highs of COVID-19 infections over the past week.
Singapore reported 1,443 COVID-19 cases on Saturday (September 25), after registering a record high 1,650 new COVID-19 cases on Friday (September 24), the highest since the beginning of the pandemic. A ministerial task force said on Friday that the government expects daily cases to hit 3,200 this week.
The comedy show "Kumar Unmasked" has been playing to a maximum capacity crowd of 1,000 a night for the past month.
Audience members wore masks and had to show their vaccination status to ushers while maintaining social distancing. They also had to scan a QR code or tap a token to register for contact tracing with the government.
Nearly 80% of adults in Singapore are fully vaccinated, according to the Ministry of Health.
"I was worried that people are not going to come, but I think everybody want to laugh so it's a great medicine during this time," stand-up comedian Kumar told Reuters.
The country will tighten COVID-19 curbs this week to limit social gatherings to two people and make working from home a default, in a bid to contain a spike in infections and reduce pressure on the healthcare system.
Plans are already in place for a new iteration of Kumar's show in November.
(Production: Travis Teo, Natasa Bansagi) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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