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SINGAPORE: Long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with a recent trip to the UK will not be able to enter Singapore from 11:59 p.m. on Wednesday (December 23), the Health Ministry said on Tuesday. (MOH).
Travelers, including short-term visitors who have traveled to the UK in the past 14 days, will not be able to enter or transit through Singapore, the ministry said.
The announcement followed the discovery of a highly infectious new strain of the novel coronavirus in the UK, which British Health Secretary Matt Hancock said was “out of control”.
“There have been recent reports of a potentially more contagious strain of the COVID-19 virus circulating in the UK,” the Health Ministry said.
“UK officials are also concerned about this new virus and have put in place tighter restrictions, including imposing a new lockdown on London.
“To reduce the risk of spreading to Singapore, we are implementing new border restrictions for UK travelers as a precautionary measure,” the ministry said.
Singapore’s move follows similar moves from other places that have already banned flights from Britain, including Hong Kong, India, Germany and France.
The ban will also apply to travelers who have obtained prior authorization to enter Singapore.
Returning Singapore citizens and permanent residents will be required to undergo a COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test upon arrival in Singapore, at the beginning of their 14-day stay-at-home notice.
Under current rules, all eligible travelers arriving from the UK are required to present a 14-day stay-at-home notice at a dedicated facility. Non-residents must also submit a negative COVID-19 smear test taken within 72 hours of their flight to Singapore.
UK health authorities said the new strain could be 70% more infectious. Although not much is known about the strain, experts say current vaccines should still be effective against it.
“While it has been suggested that the strain is more transmissible, there is currently insufficient evidence to determine whether this strain is associated with any change in disease severity, antibody response, or vaccine efficacy,” the Ministry said. of health.
“These aspects are being investigated by the UK authorities. The Ministry of Health will assess the data as it arises and will review our border measures accordingly.”
The World Health Organization warned against a major alarm over the highly new COVID-19 variant, saying this was a normal part of the evolution of a pandemic.
“We have to find a balance. It is very important to have transparency, it is very important to tell the public how things are, but it is also important to convey that this is a normal part of the evolution of the virus,” said the WHO chief of emergencies. , Mike Ryan. said an online briefing.
However, the new variant carries mutations that could mean that children are as susceptible to being infected with it as adults, unlike previous strains, scientists from the US government’s New and Emerging Respiratory Virus Threat Advisory Group said Monday. United Kingdom (NERVTAG).
“There is an indication that it has a higher propensity to infect children,” said Neil Ferguson, professor and epidemiologist of infectious diseases at Imperial College London and also a member of NERVTAG.
Tighter measures for new travelers to South Wales
Border measures for travelers with a travel history to New South Wales in Australia in the past 14 days will also tighten as of 11:59 p.m. Wednesday due to a resurgence in the number of cases, the Health Ministry said. .
All travelers to Australia will need to declare their travel history at airline check-in prior to their flight to Singapore.
Short-term travelers with an Air Travel Pass who have traveled to NSW in the last 14 days prior to departure for Singapore will not be allowed to enter the country.
Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders will be subject to a seven-day stay-at-home notice at their place of residence, with a COVID-19 PCR test prior to the end of the period of notice.
Currently, all travelers to Australia can undergo a COVID-19 PCR test upon arrival. If the test is negative, they will be allowed to continue their activities in Singapore without the need to provide a stay-at-home notice.
READ: What we know about the new strain of coronavirus found in Great Britain
On Monday, the first shipment of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines arrived in Singapore, making it the first country in Asia to receive the vaccines.
The vaccine shipment arrives a week before Singapore enters Phase 3 of its reopening.
In Phase 3, social gatherings of up to eight people will be allowed and households will be able to receive up to eight visitors at a time.
Authorities will also increase the capacity limits for the venues. For shopping centers and large independent stores, the capacity limit will be increased from 10 square meters per person to eight square meters per person.
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