S’pore tightens border restrictions for travellers from New Zealand; removes stay-home notice for travellers from Jiangsu, China
Incoming Singapore citizens and permanent residents as well as long-term pass holders with travel histories to New Zealand within the last 21 days will have to serve a seven-day stay-home notice from Aug 31, 2021.
SINGAPORE — Border restrictions for travellers from New Zealand will be tightened given the rise in Covid-19 cases there, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said in a statement on Saturday (Aug 28).
At the same time, given the improving situation in China’s Jiangsu province, travellers from there will be allowed to enter Singapore without serving a stay-home notice if they test negative for the coronavirus on arrival.
The new measures will kick in on Monday from 11.59pm.
NEW ZEALAND
Incoming Singapore citizens and permanent residents as well as long-term pass holders with travel history to New Zealand within the last 21 days will have to serve a seven-day stay-home notice, MOH said.
They will serve their notice at their place of residence and will have to take a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival and before the end of their isolation period.
Short-term travellers holding an Air Travel Pass with travel history to New Zealand within the last 21 days will not be allowed to enter Singapore.
Travellers from New Zealand were previously allowed to go about their activities here without having to serve a stay-home notice if their PCR test on arrival was negative.
New Zealand, which had been largely virus-free this year, reported 82 new locally acquired cases on Saturday with the nation remaining under a strict lockdown.
JIANGSU PROVINCE
With the improving situation in Jiangsu, travellers with a travel history to the province in eastern China within the last 21 days will no longer need to serve a stay-home notice when the new ruling kick in, MOH said.
They will have to take a PCR test on arrival and will be allowed to go about their activities if their results are negative.
Travellers from Jiangsu previously had to serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of residence, as well as take a PCR test on arrival and at the end of their isolation.
Those serving their stay-home notice as of 11.59pm on Monday will still be required to complete it and take a PCR test before they are allowed to leave isolation.
Short-term visitors with travel history to Jiangsu within the last 21 days may apply for an Air Travel Pass with immediate effect for entry into Singapore on or after Sept 4.
All other travellers with travel history to mainland China in the last 21 days will continue to be allowed to go about their activities without serving a stay-home notice if they test negative for the coronavirus on arrival.
MOH said that it will continue to adjust border measures in line with the country’s roadmap to becoming a “Covid-resilient nation”. It advised members of the public to refer to the SafeTravel website for future updates to the country's border measures.
