No need for restrictions on travellers from China despite surge in Covid-19 cases, say infectious disease experts

SINGAPORE — There is no need for tighter entry requirements to be imposed on travellers from China despite a surge in Covid-19 cases in the country, say infectious disease experts, due to factors such as Singapore’s high vaccination rate.

China is moving away from its zero-tolerance policy towards Covid-19 and adopting an approach of living with the coronavirus.

The change in policy has led to a surge in Covid-19 infections, causing nationwide shortages of test kits and key drugs such as fever and cold medicines.

There has also been increased demand for flu medicines in Singapore, which are reportedly bought by customers to be couriered to China, causing pharmacies to limit customers’ purchase of these products. 

Despite China's reopening, there is no need for Singapore to toughen its entry requirements for travellers from China, said Dr Paul Tambyah, president of the Asia Pacific Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infection. 

“The incidence of new cases in China does not appear to be more than in other temperate countries such as Germany, France and the United States, at this time. Furthermore, there is little evidence that travel restrictions work,” said Dr Tambyah.

Dr Leong Hoe Nam, an infectious disease expert at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital, and associate professor Hsu Li Yang, vice-dean of Global Health at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, agreed that such restrictions are unnecessary, citing the high vaccination rate in Singapore.

Dr Leong added that living with Covid-19 means accepting the coronavirus “as it is” and learning to adapt to it.

Associate Professor Alex Cook, vice-dean of research at NUS' Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, also said that entry restrictions are not needed, unless there is a new, documented variant emerging from China. 

“If we were having tens of thousands of cases a day earlier in the year and yet still the epidemic could not sustain itself, then we should not expect what might be a few hundred cases a day from China to have much epidemiological impact,” he said.

When asked whether there will be entry restrictions for travellers from China, an Immigration and Checkpoints Authority officer pointed to the entry requirements for all travellers, which were last updated on Dec 12.

In short, travellers who have taken minimum Covid-19 vaccine dosage may enter Singapore without testing or quarantine.

TODAY has reached out to the Ministry of Health for comment.

TRAVELLERS STOCKING UP IN SINGAPORE BEFORE GOING TO CHINA 

Mr Adrian Tan, a Singaporean based in Shanghai, said that he is worried about the surge in Covid-19 cases, as he and many of his colleagues are currently down with the disease.

The 42-year-old creative director said that he would stock up on medicines and masks when he is in Singapore, before returning to China.

“My friends in China have asked me to buy Panadol for them when I’m back in Singapore, so I will stock up on Panadol and masks,” said Mr Tan. 

A law graduate who wanted to be known only as Ms Violet recently returned to China, armed with masks, to be with her family.

The 23-year-old Chinese national is now looking forward to returning to her base in Singapore to stock up on medicines.