Singapore eases border measures for Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand

Travelers from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines will see more relaxed border measures. The Straits Times/Asia News Network

SINGAPORE — Passengers arriving from Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines are among those who will see more relaxed border measures from Nov 11, the authorities in Singapore announced on Monday (Nov 8).

Travelers from these countries will be allowed to present a negative, professionally administered antigen rapid test (ART) taken within two days prior to departure for Singapore.

It is an alternative to the reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction tests currently required.

The Government on Monday also announced that 23 countries previously deemed by Singapore to be of the highest risk of Covid-19 infections, including Laos and India, will have more border restrictions relaxed.

READ: Which Asia-Pacific countries are re-opening to foreign visitors?

From Nov 11, travelers from these countries will be allowed to serve a 10-day stay-home notice (SHN) at home or at a hotel of their choice. They are currently required to do so at an SHN dedicated facility.

Singapore will also add three new vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs), with Malaysia, Sweden and Finland, and increase the daily quota to 6,000 travelers in total from Nov 29. The current daily quota is 4,000 travelers.

VTL travelers will also be allowed to present a professionally administered negative ART test before flying to Singapore.

Vaccinated travelers will be able to take flights between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport without quarantine from Nov 29.

There will be six designated flights for quarantine-free travel between the countries for a start. Applications for the scheme will start from Nov 22.

Travelers from Sweden and Finland can also apply for VTL travel from the same date, for quarantine-free travel from Nov 29. Both Sweden and Finland already allow entry to people traveling from Singapore.

Health Minister Ong Ye Kung, who co-chairs the multi-ministry task force tackling the pandemic, said that despite rising cases in Europe, infection rates there are “not out of control” and remain lower than Singapore’s 46 cases out of every 100,000 people.

Denmark and Germany are seeing about 28 cases per 100,000 people and in Spain, the rate is below five per 100,000.

Transport Minister S. Iswaran said Singapore’s VTL experience thus far has given it the confidence to further expand the program.

He pointed out that as at Nov 7, close to 18,000 people have entered Singapore via the VTL scheme. Of this, 17 have tested positive – about one in every 1,000.

“We will reopen in a careful and calibrated manner, with essential safeguards to protect public health,” he said.