SINGAPORE EASES BORDER RESTRICTIONS AND EXTENDS VTL PROGRAMME

SINGAPORE IS EASING its Covid-19 travel restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors.

The Ministry of Health said that Singapore’s incidence rate is “now comparable with most overseas destinations” and therefore “imported cases are unlikely to a ect the trajectory of local cases”.

The country is streamlining its travel categories into three categories:

• Category I – applies to visitors from countries with low infection rates (Macau, Mainland China and Taiwan)

• General Travel – includes both VTL and non-VTL countries with di erent quarantine rules for each

• Restricted – this will be used for countries/regions with concerning Covid-19 situations (there are currently none) From February 21 at 2359, travellers under Category 1 and those travelling under VTL arrangements no longer need to take a RTPCR test upon arrival in Singapore and will be free from quarantine. Instead, they will have to take a supervised rapid antigen test within 24 hours of arrival in the country at one of the testing centres across Singapore.

The new rules also include:

1. A reduction in the travel history requirement from 14 to seven days.

2. e stay-home notice duration will be standardised to seven days across all country and region categories in view of Omicron’s shorter incubation period.

3. Vaccinated long-term pass holders (except work permit holders) will no longer have to obtain a Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) or an entry approval to enter Singapore. ey will still need to adhere to border health measures on entry. visitsingapore.com