'Special arrangements' made for people travelling from S'pore to China to get tested for Covid-19

• Travellers leaving Singapore for China from Aug 28 to 31 can take Covid-19 test at regional screening centre in Jurong East
• They may do so from now until Sunday
• The arrangements are to help travellers meet Chinese Embassy’s regulations, agencies here said

SINGAPORE — The authorities said on Wednesday (Aug 26) that “special Covid-19 testing arrangements” have been made for people travelling from Singapore to China to help them meet requirements set by the Chinese Embassy here.

The arrangements are for passengers on China-bound flights from Aug 28 to 31.

A joint statement by the Ministry of Health (MOH), Ministry of Manpower (MOM), Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI), Ministry of Transport and the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore was issued in response to queries from the media.

It comes after news outlet Bloomberg reported on Tuesday that dozens of Chinese nationals had gathered outside their embassy in Singapore out of frustration that they needed to get tested for Covid-19 before they could return home. Singapore typically does not offer tests to those who do not display symptoms.

As part of the special arrangements, travellers from Singapore to China can take a Covid-19 swab test at the regional screening centre at 450 Jurong East Street 21 until Sunday.

The test will cost S$186 and passengers will be informed of their results within 48 hours. In their statement, the agencies said that they have asked airlines to make these arrangements known to their customers, and more than 700 passengers have taken the test since Tuesday.

The special arrangements are to help passengers meet the recent requirements imposed by the Chinese Embassy in Singapore, the agencies said.

Under the requirements, all passengers departing Singapore for China need to take a nucleic acid test for the Covid-19 coronavirus within five days before boarding their flights from Aug 28.

The rule came shortly after several passengers on flights coming in from Singapore tested positive for the coronavirus upon landing, triggering a suspension of flights in accordance with regulations set by the Civil Aviation Administration of China.

Bloomberg reported that China Southern Airline Co’s flight to Guangzhou was suspended for a week after five passengers tested positive upon arrival. Juneyao Airlines Co also had to suspend its flights for a week after eight passengers on a Shanghai-bound flight tested positive for the coronavirus this month.

In the most recent case, 14 people on board a Scoot flight from Singapore to the Chinese city of Tianjin on Aug 19 tested positive for the coronavirus after disembarking from the flight. Bloomberg reported that flights by Scoot had also been suspended.

MOH said on Tuesday that 12 of the 14 who tested positive were recovered patients who were “no longer infectious”.

For flights departing to China from Sept 1 onwards, travellers should approach the relevant agencies for assistance. Passengers travelling for essential business and employment should approach MTI at COVID_SafeTravelEnquiries [at] mti.gov.sg, while those travelling for education or compassionate reasons should approach MOH at MOH_QSM [at] moh.gov.sg.

Employers of Chinese nationals with live or cancelled work permits and S-Passes returning to China should schedule their tests via the Rostered Regular Tests Swab Registration System. They may also request a swab test at the MOM’s Regional Medical Centres.