S’pore tightens Covid-19 restrictions for travellers from Australia; removes stay-home notice for those from Guangdong

SINGAPORE — Singapore will tighten border restrictions for travellers from Australia after an increase in Covid-19 cases there, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Wednesday (June 30). 

At the same time, travellers from China's Guangdong province will be allowed to enter Singapore without serving a stay-home notice if they test negative for the coronavirus on arrival.

The new measures will kick in on Friday at 11.59pm. 

TIGHTENED MEASURES

Incoming Singapore citizens and permanent residents as well as long-term pass holders with travel history to Australia within the last 21 days will have to serve a seven-day stay-home notice, MOH said. 

They will also have to take a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival and before the end of their isolation.

Short-term travellers holding an Air Travel Pass with travel history to Australia within the last 21 days will not be allowed to enter Singapore.

Travellers from Australia — except for the state of New South Wales— were previously allowed to go about their activities here without having to serve a stay-home notice if their PCR test on arrival was negative.

TRAVELLERS FROM GUANGDONG 

With the improving situation in Guangdong, all those with a travel history to the province in Southern China within the last 21 days will no longer need to serve a stay-home notice when the new measures kick in on Friday, MOH said.

They will have to take a PCR test on arrival and will be allowed to go about their activities if their results are negative.

Travellers from Guangdong previously had to serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of residence, as well as take a PCR test on arrival and at the end of their isolation.

Those serving their stay-home notice as of 11.59pm on Friday will still be required to complete it and take a PCR test before they are allowed to leave isolation.

Short-term visitors with travel history to Guangdong within the last 21 days can apply for an Air Travel Pass with immediate effect. 

All other travellers with travel history to mainland China in the last 21 days will continue to be allowed to go about their activities without serving a stay-home notice if they test negative for the coronavirus on arrival.

MOH said that it will continue to adjust border measures to manage the risk of imported cases. It advised members of the public to refer to the SafeTravel website for future updates to the country's border measures.