Coronavirus: Singapore adds Hong Kong to ‘vaccinated travel lane’ list, as officials say Omicron surge ‘within expectations’
- The news came as authorities in the city state said they were looking to streamline safe-distancing measures ahead of a full reopening once Omicron subsides
- Singapore has registered 191,882 infections over the past 28 days, but its health minister said the daily caseload was in line with scientists’ projections
All travellers using the VTLs no longer need to undertake a costly polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at Changi Airport or other entry points to the city state. Instead they only need to test negative in a supervised antigen rapid test within 24 hours of arrival.
In practice, the addition of Hong Kong – starting from Friday next week – to the VTL list does not mark a major shift in the status quo for travelling between the two cities.
Currently travellers arriving in Singapore from Hong Kong do not need to serve quarantine regardless of vaccination status, so long as they have not been anywhere else within the past 14 days and test negative on a PCR test administered in Changi Airport.
Under the latest changes, unvaccinated travellers will have to quarantine for seven days at their place of residence or in designated hotels in Singapore.