Singapore removes supervised Covid-19 test requirement for VTL

 

Singapore will simplify the testing regime for both air and land Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) from Monday (Jan 24), with no more supervised Antigen Rapid Test (ART) on Days 3 and 7 from the date of arrival.

The republic’s Multi-Ministry Taskforce (MTF) on Covid-19 also noted that travellers also need not submit their ART results but have to test negative before going out.

“We will remove this requirement. In other words, travellers will undergo unsupervised self-administered ART from Days 2 to 7 of their arrival if they need to leave their place of residence or accommodation,” said MTF’s co-chair Gan Kim Yong at a virtual press conference held here today.

MTF also announced that travellers arriving on Monday, who were fully vaccinated and recovered recently from Covid-19 - within 90 days of their last infection - will be exempted from all testing and SHN requirements providing they were able to show appropriate documentary proof.

On Dec 31, 2021, Singapore had announced a four-week extension to the enhanced seven-day testing regime for travellers arriving via VTLs in order to facilitate the detection of imported Omicron cases and slow transmission into the community.

In a statement separately provided to the media, the MTF said imported cases now form a shrinking proportion of Singapore’s overall cases, thus the earlier measures were less relevant.

MTF also announced that it will continue to maintain a 50 percent limit on VTL flight and bus tickets for entry into Singapore for now.

Updating on Covid-19 situation in the island city, Gan, who is also the minister for trade and industry, noted that the number of Omicron cases has risen rapidly especially over the last few days.

He noted that it could be ascertained that about 75 percent of daily cases were Omicron.

“But in reality, the proportion is likely to be higher, perhaps close to 90 percent or more. Omicron has clearly dominated over the Delta variant in Singapore,” he said.

Gan said given the Omicron variant is more infectious it is likely that “we will soon see a significant wave.”

He hoped that the public would remain vigilant, especially during the Chinese New Year Festive season.

“The safe management measures (SMMs) we have put in place will help to lower the risk of transmission and reduce the stress on our healthcare system. We will maintain our current SMMs for now,” he said.

As Singapore rides through the Omicron wave, Gan warned that it has to be prepared that a significant proportion of its workforce might be infected with Covid-19.

“If we have, for example, 15,000 cases a day, which is very possible with each one of them out of action for an average of say about five days... we are looking at some 75,000 workers absent due to Covid-19.

“If we include those who are close contacts and have to isolate themselves… the number will be much higher and they may be concentrated in certain companies or specific sectors.

“Services may therefore be disrupted from time to time. This has been the experience of other countries and we cannot take it lightly,” he said at length.

Hence, he said businesses should put in place robust continuity plans to mitigate disruptions to their operations particularly those in the essential services.

- Bernama