Travellers arriving in S’pore from India to serve 21-day stay-home notice

SINGAPORE — Travellers with recent travel history to India will soon have to serve a 21-day stay-home notice in Singapore, up from the current 14 days. The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced this on Tuesday (April 20), as the Covid-19 situation in the South Asian country worsens.

These travellers will have to serve the extra seven days at their place of residence after completing their 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities. They will be tested for Covid-19 twice, upon the completion of each isolation period.

The updated requirement kicks in from 11.59pm on Thursday, including for travellers who have not completed their first 14-day stay-home notice by that time, MOH said in a statement.

With immediate effect, the ministry will also cut the number of approvals for people entering Singapore if they are not citizens or permanent residents here and have a recent travel history to India.

“Migrant workers arriving from India in the construction, marine and process sectors will continue to be subjected to a 21-day stay-home notice. These measures will minimise importation risks and protect public health,” MOH added.

The tightened restrictions come as daily Covid-19 cases in India soar to record highs and there are news of a “double mutant” variant of the coronavirus that had been detected in India. On Monday, 13 of the 19 imported Covid-19 cases in Singapore had arrived from India.

Hong Kong on Monday announced it will ban flights from India, as well as Pakistan and the Philippines, after the N501Y mutant Covid-19 stain was detected in the territory for the first time.

In another announcement, MOH said that Singapore will ease border restrictions for travellers from Hong Kong.

From 11.59pm on Thursday, they will undergo a reduced seven-day stay-home notice, down from 14 days, which can be served at their place of residence if suitable.

Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with travel history to the United Kingdom and South Africa within the last 14 days will, from 11.59pm on Thursday, be allowed entry into Singapore, after the authorities earlier restricted entry and transit due to concerns of a more contagious coronavirus strain.

These travellers will also be allowed to transit through Singapore on airlines approved to operate such transfers.

“Our existing border control and domestic measures have been able to contain the risks of community spread from imported cases with such variants, which is now present in many countries beyond (the) UK and South Africa,” MOH added.

ESSENTIAL OFFICIAL TRAVEL 

The authorities will also allow certain vaccinated individuals to be subjected to a “stringent testing and self-isolation regime” from 11.59pm on Thursday. These are individuals who need to travel to higher-risk countries and regions as part of an official delegation representing Singapore at important meetings and forums overseas.

They must adhere to a strict event-by-event controlled itinerary while overseas, and undergo Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests on arrival, and be tested on the third, seventh and 14th day after they return.

As an added precaution, these travellers will also be required to undergo a seven-day self-isolation period at home or in a hotel upon their return, MOH said.

They may only leave their place of accommodation to commute to the PCR test site or to the workplace for essential work that cannot be done remotely. Travellers who are not fully vaccinated will continue to be subjected to prevailing border measures upon their return.