S’poreans, PRs who left country before March 27 will have cost of Covid-19 tests waived until end-August

SINGAPORE — The government will waive the costs of the Covid-19 tests for Singaporeans and permanent residents who had left the country before the prevailing travel advisory was issued on March 27 and who plans to return.

“For such cases, we will allow a grace period, and if they return and enter Singapore by Aug 31, 2020, we will waive the cost of the Covid-19 tests,” the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in its daily update on the Covid-19 situation here on Wednesday (June 17).

The multi-ministry task force in charge of the country’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic had earlier announced that all travellers who enter or leave Singapore from 11.59pm, June 17, will be required to pay for their Covid-19 tests.

In addition, the task force had also announced that travellers into the country who are not Singapore citizens or permanent residents will be required to pay for their stay at dedicated stay-home notice facilities.

MOH said on Wednesday that it will not automatically swab all persons who are aged 12 or younger before the end of their stay-home notice, as the ministry recognises that the “tests could pose difficulties for young children”.

“However, if any of their close contacts are found to be positive, we will initiate the swab tests for them,” MOH said.

The ministry reiterated that for “avoidance of doubt”, all travellers — including Singapore citizens and permanent residents — who last left Singapore after March 27, 2020 despite the prevailing travel advisory will have to continue to bear the cost of their stay at dedicated stay-home notice facilities as well as the cost of their Covid-19 tests.