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All healthcare workers can apply for leave to go to vaccinated travel lane countries: MOH Holdings

SINGAPORE — All healthcare workers can apply for overseas leave with immediate effect, spelling an end to a ban on overseas travel that had been imposed by MOH Holdings (MOHH) due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The lifting of the suspension of overseas leave for all healthcare workers takes immediate effect, said MOH Holdings.

The lifting of the suspension of overseas leave for all healthcare workers takes immediate effect, said MOH Holdings.

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SINGAPORE — All healthcare workers can apply for overseas leave with immediate effect, spelling an end to a ban on overseas travel that had been imposed by MOH Holdings (MOHH) due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

Healthcare workers can apply for leave to travel to countries under the recently implemented vaccinated travel lane, said MOHH, which is the holding company of Singapore’s public healthcare clusters, in a circular to employees dated Tuesday (Oct 19) and seen by TODAY.

The circular stated that the Ministry of Health (MOH) had reviewed the overseas travel guidelines for healthcare workers to align it with the recent government announcement on the streamlined protocols and the vaccinated travel lane.

“With immediate effect, MOH will lift the suspension on overseas leave applications for all healthcare workers,” read the circular.

All overseas travel will still be subject to MOH’s prevailing travel advisory, as well as the national travel health control measures found on the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority website.

On Oct 9, the authorities announced that the vaccinated travel lane scheme will be extended to nine more countries, after its successful implementation with Brunei and Germany. Travellers going between Singapore and such countries need not serve a quarantine order or stay-home notice.

Canada, Denmark, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, the United Kingdom and the United States will be part of this arrangement from Oct 19, while South Korea will be under the scheme from Nov 15.

In response to TODAY’s queries, MOH said that the workload at Singapore’s hospitals continues to be immense, and healthcare workers are under significant pressure.

Nevertheless, it also “recognises the need for staff to recharge and rest” after a long period of fighting the pandemic, and for those with family members overseas to visit their loved ones. 

“MOH appreciates the hard work of our healthcare workers during this Covid-19 pandemic, and is doing whatever we can to bolster our healthcare system to cope with the surge in Covid-19 cases.”

The ministry said public healthcare institutions will work to strike a balance for leave applications from staff so that they can take turns to go on leave, while providing sufficient staffing for essential healthcare services.

TODAY has also sought comment from various private hospitals.

Dr Peng Chung Mien, the chief executive officer of Farrer Park Hospital, said the hospital has already implemented the latest MOH guidelines to remove all additional testing requirements and restrictions on healthcare workers resuming work duties after returning from overseas travel.

Nevertheless, not all healthcare workers were optimistic about being able to take advantage of Tuesday’s announcement.

One 27-year-old doctor, who declined to be named, noted the high number of Covid-19 cases being reported in Singapore each day. On Monday, 2,553 new infections were reported.

“At the end of the day, all leave applications are subject to approval by your bosses, and this subject to the manpower situation at hand. With the (daily infection) cases like this, it will be very hard to get approval,” he said.

Related topics

MOH vaccinated travel lane leave Covid-19 coronavirus

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