SINGAPORE: Travellers from eight countries who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 will soon be able to apply to serve their stay-home notice at their place of residence rather than a dedicated facility, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Friday (Aug 6).
From 11.59pm on Aug 20, fully vaccinated travellers from Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Korea, and Switzerland, can do so if they "fulfil certain criteria".
According to the Health Ministry, an individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after he or she has received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/ Comirnaty, Moderna or any vaccine in the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing. This includes Sinovac-Coronavc, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca's vaccines.
Applications will be considered if the vaccinated traveller has remained in the eight countries in the last consecutive 21 days prior to arriving in Singapore.
They must also occupy their respective places of residence or other suitable accommodation alone, or only with household members who are also vaccinated people serving stay-home notice with the same travel history and isolation period.
For Singaporeans and permanent residents, the application must be made three days prior to arrival via the SafeTravel website. All travellers must present the approval to opt-out upon arrival in Singapore.
All other travellers from the countries or regions must continue to serve their stay-home notice in a dedicated facility, said MOH.
From Aug 10, the Ministry of Manpower will resume entry approvals for fully vaccinated work pass holders and their dependants with travel history to higher risk countries or regions.
They must be fully vaccinated before arrival in Singapore, and they will be subjected to the prevailing health protocols, said MOH.
Speaking at a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force press conference, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said: "Being a small and open economy, our international connectivity is vital. As vaccination rates in Singapore, and in other countries, will increase, we will progressively review some of our border measures."
MOH said that with Singapore reaching higher vaccination rates, the task force will introduce "vaccination-differentiated" border measures for travellers from countries or regions that have "shown an ability to control the pandemic" and vaccinate large parts of their population.
Prolonged border measures will hurt Singapore's economy badly, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Singapore has allowed travellers from "selected safe places" such as China, Brunei and New Zealand to enter without the need for stay-home notices, he added.
“We hope not too long from now, they will reciprocate the opening and then we will have travel corridors open,” he said. “But the reverse is also true, because on the other hand, some countries such as the United States … many countries in the EU, they allow Singapore-based travellers to go into their countries without quarantine or (stay-home notice)," he said.
"So if we reciprocate the arrangement, we will also open up travel corridors."
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From 11.59pm on Aug 20, fully vaccinated travellers from Australia, Austria, Canada, Germany, Italy, Norway, South Korea, and Switzerland, can do so if they "fulfil certain criteria".
According to the Health Ministry, an individual is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after he or she has received the full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech/ Comirnaty, Moderna or any vaccine in the World Health Organisation’s Emergency Use Listing. This includes Sinovac-Coronavc, Sinopharm and AstraZeneca's vaccines.
Applications will be considered if the vaccinated traveller has remained in the eight countries in the last consecutive 21 days prior to arriving in Singapore.
They must also occupy their respective places of residence or other suitable accommodation alone, or only with household members who are also vaccinated people serving stay-home notice with the same travel history and isolation period.
For Singaporeans and permanent residents, the application must be made three days prior to arrival via the SafeTravel website. All travellers must present the approval to opt-out upon arrival in Singapore.
All other travellers from the countries or regions must continue to serve their stay-home notice in a dedicated facility, said MOH.
ENTRY APPROVALS FOR WORK PASS HOLDERS TO RESUME
From Aug 10, the Ministry of Manpower will resume entry approvals for fully vaccinated work pass holders and their dependants with travel history to higher risk countries or regions.
They must be fully vaccinated before arrival in Singapore, and they will be subjected to the prevailing health protocols, said MOH.
Speaking at a COVID-19 multi-ministry task force press conference, Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said: "Being a small and open economy, our international connectivity is vital. As vaccination rates in Singapore, and in other countries, will increase, we will progressively review some of our border measures."
MOH said that with Singapore reaching higher vaccination rates, the task force will introduce "vaccination-differentiated" border measures for travellers from countries or regions that have "shown an ability to control the pandemic" and vaccinate large parts of their population.
Prolonged border measures will hurt Singapore's economy badly, said Health Minister Ong Ye Kung.
Singapore has allowed travellers from "selected safe places" such as China, Brunei and New Zealand to enter without the need for stay-home notices, he added.
“We hope not too long from now, they will reciprocate the opening and then we will have travel corridors open,” he said. “But the reverse is also true, because on the other hand, some countries such as the United States … many countries in the EU, they allow Singapore-based travellers to go into their countries without quarantine or (stay-home notice)," he said.
"So if we reciprocate the arrangement, we will also open up travel corridors."
Continue reading...