The Singapore government is implementing additional precautionary measures to further reduce the risk of importation of Covid-19 cases to Singapore.
These include additional restrictions on travellers entering Singapore.
Stay-Home Notice
The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced on Sunday (Mar. 15) extra restrictions on all travellers (including Singapore Residents, Long Term Pass holders, and short-term visitors) entering Singapore with recent travel history to the following places:
- ASEAN countries
- Japan
- Switzerland
- The United Kingdom
If travellers have been in these places within the last 14 days, they will be issued with a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN).
This will kick in from March 16, 11:59pm.
Will have to provide proof of stay while serving SHN
Travellers will have to provide proof of the place where they will serve the 14-day SHN, and may be swabbed for testing for COVID-19, even if asymptomatic.
However, this will not apply to Singapore’s sea and land crossings with Malaysia.
As previously announced, residents and long-term pass holders returning from mainland China (outside Hubei province), Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Republic of Korea, and Spain will continue to be issued a 14-day SHN upon return to Singapore.
Short-term visitors from these areas will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore.
All travellers entering Singapore and exhibiting fever and/or other symptoms of respiratory illness are also required to undergo a Covid-19 swab test at the checkpoints, regardless of travel history.
They will also be issued a 14-day SHN, which they will have to serve in full even if the result of the swab test is negative.
ASEAN and Malaysia
Short-term visitors who are ASEAN nationals must submit health information for approval before travelling.
The approval must be granted by MOH and travellers will be checked by the Immigrations & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) upon entry.
Entry will be denied to those without approval.
However, according to CNA quoting National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, travellers arriving from Malaysia through land and sea checkpoints will not be issued the SHN.
He added that separate arrangements are being worked out by a bilateral joint-working group with Malaysia.
Travel advisory
In addition, Singaporeans are also advised to defer all non-essential travel abroad.
This is to reduce the risk of Singaporeans contracting COVID-19 infection while overseas during this global pandemic.
This advisory will apply for 30 days, and will be reviewed thereafter.
Singaporeans who have made plans to travel abroad during the March school holidays are also advised to review their plans.
Top photos by Marcin Nowak and CK Yeo on Unsplash