SINGAPORE: Singapore will launch its first vaccinated travel lanes with Germany and Brunei Darussalam on Sep 8, announced the COVID-19 multi-ministry task force on Thursday (Aug 19).
Under the vaccinated travel lanes, fully vaccinated travellers departing from Germany or Brunei can enter Singapore without serving a stay-home notice, he said.
Instead, they must undergo multiple COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests – a pre-departure test within 48 hours of the scheduled flight, an on-arrival test at Changi Airport, and post-arrival tests on days three and seven at a designated clinic in Singapore.
Failing to complete the required tests is a chargeable offence under the Infectious Diseases Act. Those who do not comply may be issued a stay-home notice to be quarantined in a dedicated facility, authorities said.
A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they have received both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or other vaccines listed under the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency use list, such as Sinovac and AstraZeneca.
This means that children under the age of 12, who cannot be vaccinated yet, will not be able to travel under this scheme.
The vaccinated travel lanes will be open to all travel purposes, whether for leisure, business or to visit family, said the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS).
Travellers do not need to follow a controlled itinerary or have a sponsor, but they must have remained in Singapore or their country of departure – Germany or Brunei – in the last 21 consecutive days before they depart for Singapore.
They also must travel to Singapore on non-stop designated flights, which will only serve travellers on the vaccinated travel lanes, said CAAS in a press release.
The designated flights from Germany will be run by Singapore Airlines and Lufthansa. The current plan is to have seven flights a week or one flight a day to Frankfurt or Munich.
Currently, people can travel from Singapore to Germany without restrictions on vaccination status and quarantine requirements, CAAS noted.
With the vaccinated travel lanes, if travellers return to Singapore from Germany on the designated flights, they will not need to serve a stay-home notice here, and will instead be subject to routine testing.
Singapore Airlines and Royal Brunei Airlines will run the designated flights from Brunei to Singapore, and there will be three designated flights a week.
Under previous travel arrangements, travellers from Brunei were allowed to go about their activities in Singapore without serving a stay-home notice if their on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test results were negative.
Outside of the vaccinated travel lanes, Singapore will be tightening border control measures for those with travel history to Brunei due to the increased number of COVID-19 cases there, said the Health Ministry in a separate press release.
APPLYING FOR A VACCINATED TRAVEL PASS
Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders will need to apply for a vaccinated travel pass to travel from Germany or Brunei to Singapore. Applications for these passes open on Sep 1, said CAAS.
As part of the application for the pass, travellers will have to pre-pay for their day three and day seven PCR tests, and their vaccination status will be checked for entry into Singapore.
Short-term visitors who need a visa to enter Singapore must also obtain one. They are advised to do so after their vaccination travel pass is approved and before they depart for Singapore, said the authorities.
They must also buy travel insurance with a minimum coverage of S$30,000 for COVID-19-related medical treatment and hospitalisation costs before they travel to Singapore.
All visitors must also use the TraceTogether app in Singapore to facilitate contact tracing, said CAAS.
Fully vaccinated Singapore citizens and permanent residents (PRs) do not need to apply for a vaccination travel pass to enter Singapore under the scheme.
Those who are vaccinated in Singapore can show their vaccination status on the HealthHub app when checking in at the airport before departure for Singapore.
For those who were not vaccinated in Singapore, they can present proof of their vaccination to the airline in their country of departure, as well as to Singapore’s immigration authorities after arriving at Changi Airport.
Since Singapore citizens and PRs do not need to apply for a vaccination travel pass to enter Singapore under the scheme, the arrangement will come into effect for them from Sep 8 at 12.01am.
“WE WILL NOT THROW CAUTION TO THE WIND”: ISWARAN
Transport Minister S Iswaran called the vaccinated travel lanes “a new modality” in Singapore’s reopening.
The implementation of the travel lanes is being done cautiously, starting with two countries with designated flights and safeguards in place, he said.
“This will allow us to learn from the experience and enhance our processes before any further expansion of the scheme.”
Some people may want Singapore to start more vaccinated travel lanes, while others may be more concerned about the risks of reopening borders, said Mr Iswaran.
“To those who want to do more, I ask for your patience. At this juncture, it is more important that we get it right than that we do it fast. Experience gained from implementing these initial moves safely will enable us to later extend the schemed with confidence,” he added.
“To Singaporeans who are concerned, I seek your understanding. We are moving in a measured manner, starting small with two countries and an essential set of safeguards. The safety and well-being of our people will always remain our utmost priority. We will not throw caution to the wind.
“Above all, we seek the support of all Singaporeans for these measures. As an open and small economy, our connectivity with the rest of the world is essential if not existential. That is why we need to start reopening. The longer our borders remain closed, the greater the risk of lasting damage to our economy, our livelihoods and our status as an aviation hub.”
HONG KONG AIR TRAVEL PASS
Short-term visitors with travel history to Hong Kong or Macao in the last 21 consecutive days can now apply for an Air Travel Pass for entry into Singapore from Aug 26.
Similar to other arrangements with the Air Travel Pass, these visitors will undergo a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival at Changi Airport, and can go about their activities in Singapore with a negative test result.
They will no longer need to serve a seven-day stay-home notice with a COVID-19 PCR test before the end of the notice, said CAAS.
From Aug 20 at 11.59pm, Singapore citizens, PRs and long-term pass holders who have spent the last 21 days in Hong Kong or Macau and are returning to Singapore will take a PCR test upon arrival.
Similarly, if the result is negative, they will be allowed to go about their activities in Singapore, in lieu of a stay-home notice.
FOUR CATEGORIES OF COUNTRIES/REGIONS
The multi-ministry task force has reviewed the classification of countries and regions for Singapore’s border measures, said task force co-chair and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong.
They will now be classified in one of four categories, each with differentiated border measures depending on the traveller’s 21-day travel history before entering Singapore.
If the traveller visits or transits through different countries or regions, the most stringent set of requirements will apply.
Category I: No stay-home notice
Mainland China (excluding Jiangsu province), New Zealand and Taiwan are in category one. Travellers can enter Singapore without serving a stay-home notice, and they will only be subject to an on-arrival COVID-19 PCR test.
Hong Kong and Macao will be added to this category from Aug 20, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in its press release.
Category II: Seven-day stay-home notice
China’s Jiangsu province is currently in category two. Brunei, Australia, Canada and Germany will be added to this category from Aug 20.
Travellers will need to undergo a seven-day stay-home notice that can be served at their accommodation of choice. Singapore citizens, PRs and long-term pass holders can serve their stay-home notice at their home.
Category III: 14-day stay-home notice
Italy, South Korea, Switzerland, Austria and Norway are in category three. Belgium, Denmark, Japan and Luxembourg will be added to this category from Aug 20.
Unvaccinated travellers from these countries and regions will need to serve a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities. Those who are fully vaccinated can apply to opt out of dedicated facilities and serve their stay-home notice at a suitable accommodation of their choice.
Category IV: 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities
All other countries or regions fall into category four – except Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, from which entry is currently not allowed. Travellers from countries or regions in this category must serve a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities, and comply with a regular testing regime.
