SINGAPORE – Singaporean tourists from the six previously closed countries will be allowed entry here from Wednesday as the country adjusts its border operations in response to the government’s global situation-19.
The Ministry of Health announced on Saturday October 23 that all travelers with a 14-day travel history to Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka will be allowed to enter or exit through Singapore.
The health ministry also said it would make operations easier for travelers from several countries, including Malaysia and Indonesia.
The ministry said in a statement that it had checked government-19 levels in Myanmar and five previously closed South Asian countries.
Passengers from these countries will be subject to strict measures, including a 10-day notice of stay (SHN) in special facilities.
At the Multi-Ministerial Working Group (MDF) virtual press conference on Government-19 on Saturday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung said the situation in those countries had remained stable for some time. Strict rules are no longer needed to prevent travelers from those countries from landing here, he said.
The health ministry said the changes, which take effect on Wednesday, will include an easing of operations for travelers from the nearest neighbors, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia, who will automatically offer their 10-day SHN within residences or accommodations advertised instead of exclusive SHN benefits.
Singapore classifies countries and territories into four categories based on their government-19 status and risk profile, with different border activities for each category.
Under the latest measures, passengers arriving from Type I destinations – Hong Kong, Macau, mainland China and Taiwan – as well as those arriving in Type II countries on Vaccine Travel Line (VTL) flights will have to carry out a chain reaction. by polymerase. (PCR test).
All passengers on non-VTL flights from Type II countries are no longer required to undergo an arrival PCR test, but must undergo an exit PCR test at the end of their seven-day NHS.
Travelers from Type III and IV countries are no longer required to undergo a PCR test upon arrival, but must take a PCR test at the end of their 10-day NHS.
The health ministry said tourists from Malaysia and Indonesia, Cambodia, Egypt, Hungary, Israel, Mongolia, Qatar, Rwanda, Samoa, Seychelles, South Africa South, Tonga, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Vietnam would also be placed in this category. III Activities.
Tourists from Type III regions will be served at SHN for the first 10 days since Wednesday at their indicated residence or accommodation, regardless of the vaccination status and travel history of tourists and their family members. They must now apply.
However, they must still be in the notified dormitory during their SHN period and wear an electronic tracking device.
Singapore will facilitate the entry of fully immunized domestic workers to meet urgent local domestic and domestic care needs. This will be done by carefully adjusting the numbers as the world situation evolves.
Mr Ong said the number was now 200 per week and would increase to 1,000 per week. “This will begin to eliminate the backlog of requests from families to caregivers. The MOM (Ministry of Human Resources) will regularly review the entry numbers with the MTF.
He also explained why Singapore has relaxed its border controls.
He said the country needed strict border controls when there were very few cases as it needed to prevent “infiltration” across its borders.
The situation has now changed. Mr Ong said the outbreak has been confirmed in several countries after months of waves of large-scale transmission.
“So we can safely open travel routes with these countries,” he said.
He added that to keep Singapore safe, the government has taken drastic measures such as screening passengers upon arrival in the country. This is why the number of infections imported into Singapore is low, he said.
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