SINGAPORE- To step up detection and containment of the Omicron variant until more information is available, Singapore will be enhancing its testing protocols for travellers arriving in the Republic after 11.59pm on Thursday (Dec 2).
These measures will continue for four weeks, and will be reviewed and extended if necessary.
Here is what you need to know:
1. Pre-departure test for all air travellers
– All air travellers entering or transiting through Singapore must undergo a pre-departure test within two days of their departure for Singapore and obtain a negative result.
– This includes travellers from Category I countries and regions, which includes Hong Kong, mainland China and Taiwan.
– Either a reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test or a professionally administered antigen rapid test (ART) result will be accepted as a valid pre-departure test for countries and regions in Category I to III.
– Only the RT-PCR test results will be accepted for Category IV countries and regions.
2. On-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for travellers
– Travellers entering Singapore, including those from Category II (non-vaccinated travel lane), III and IV countries, must undergo a Covid-19 PCR test on arrival.
3. Additional antigen rapid tests (ART) for air vaccinated travel lanes
– Those who arrive after 11.59pm on Dec 2 will have to undergo additional supervised self-administered ART at a Quick Test Centre on days 3 and 7 of their arrival.
4. Travel precautions
– All Singapore residents are advised to defer all travel to higher-risk countries or regions, including Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe until further notice.
– Those who have visited countries and regions with reported cases of the Omicron variant, or visited countries with high traffic volume to these higher-risk countries or regions should also take extra precaution.
-This includes wearing masks, and observing good personal hygiene and safe management measures even if these requirements are not required there.
5. One-time surveillance test for some travellers
– Travellers who arrived between Nov 12 and Nov 27, and had travelled to countries or regions affected by Omicron in the last 14 days before their arrival in Singapore, will have to go through a one-time surveillance PCR testing exercise.
– Those affected have been notified of their scheduled test time and venue.
6. Testing for air crew
– Aircrew serving flights from affected countries will be subjected to an on-arrival PCR test, and post-arrival PCR tests on Days 3 and 7 following each flight duty.
– Other airport and border frontline workers will continue with ART-based rostered routine testing, which will be reverted back to a weekly basis.
– Those who test positive will have to go for a confirmatory PCR test.
