Hotel recovery protocols for travellers to Singapore who test positive, or are identified as close contacts

These revised protocols are aligned with Singapore's approach specifically for managing the Delta variant. For any confirmed or suspected cases of the Omicron variant and their close contacts, a differentiated approach will be applied.

Singapore Tourism Board has recently released the revised protocols for travellers residing in hotels, starting from 20 December 2021.

The revised protocols have been provided for three different scenarios. The following travellers residing in hotels - which include Stay-Home Notice (SHN)-Dedicated Facilities (SDFs), non-SDF hotels, and other managed residences such as serviced apartments - should isolate in their hotel rooms by default:

Scenario 1: Travellers who test positive on a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test

Travellers are currently required to remain in isolation after taking their on-arrival PCR test until they are notified of their test result.

Upon being notified of a positive test result, travellers should remain isolated in their rooms and notify hotel staff of their positive result. They should also complete the FormSG and await further instructions on their recovery procedure.

Hotel guests will undergo recovery in their rooms by default. They will be issued an Isolation Order (IO) to remain in their accommodation for 10 days (if fully vaccinated) or 14 days (if unvaccinated or partially vaccinated). It should be noted that the IO will supersede any testing requirements they may have originally been subject to (e.g. the enhanced testing regime for travellers on the Vaccinated Travel Lane). Hence, travellers under IO should not leave their room to undergo these tests.

Hotel guests who have a place of residence in Singapore and wish to recover at home, may seek hotels’ assistance to arrange for the Ministry of Health (MOH) to convey them to their accommodation. They should not make their own transport arrangements.

However, those whose accommodations are unsuitable for isolation, who have medical or social conditions which pose a higher health risk¹, or are severely ill, will be transferred to an appropriate care facility or hospital for recovery and will not recover in their hotel rooms.

Individuals who are not already residing in hotels and test positive on a COVID19 test (either PCR or ART) should not check into a hotel - if their household environment is unsuitable for home recovery, they should inform MOH which will arrange for their transfer to an appropriate care facility.

Similar to the current home recovery protocols, telemedicine support will be made available to guests recovering in their rooms. Travellers will continue to be responsible for the costs associated with recovery, testing and treatment, including any necessary extended stay in hotels or care facilities. Those who tested positive for COVID-19 or were issued a Health Risk Warning (HRW) before 20 December 2021, and who are already recovering in care facilities under previous protocols for travellers residing in hotels, will continue to serve out their isolation period there.

The isolation period will then end at 12pm on the 10th or 14th day of isolation, depending on the traveller's vaccination status. They will be automatically discharged without further tests thereafter.

Scenario 2: Travellers who test positive on an Antigen Rapid Test (ART)

A) Travellers on VTLs

Travellers on the VTL who test positive on any of their mandatory daily ARTs, as well as all travellers who have travel history in the last 10 days and test positive on an ART, must undergo a confirmatory PCR test at a Combined Test Centre (CTC). A booking link will be provided to these travellers to book an appointment for their confirmatory PCR test. They do not need to attend or perform their scheduled ART if it falls on the same day as their confirmatory PCR test. They must self-isolate until they receive the results of their confirmatory PCR test.

If the results are negative, they may go about their daily activities with no further isolation.

If the results are positive, they should also adhere to the protocols in Scenario 1 above.

B) Travellers who are serving Stay-Home Notice (SHN)

There are currently no mandatory ART tests for those serving government-mandated SHN. However, travellers who do test positive on an ART while serving SHN should promptly inform their hotel and undergo a confirmatory PCR test.

If the results are negative, they may continue serving out the remainder of their stipulated SHN duration and take the exit-SHN PCR test.

If the results are positive, they should adhere to the protocols in in Scenario 1 above.

C) Travellers who have already completed their SHN and mandatory testing regimes²

Travellers who test positive on an ART after completing their SHN and/or mandatory testing regimes should isolate where they are for the next 72 hours, unless otherwise advised by their doctors. If they are residing in a hotel, they should also inform the hotel staff. After 72 hours, travellers may re-test with an ART.

If the result is negative, they may resume normal activities.

If they test positive, they should repeat their ART at least 24 hours apart and only resume normal activities once the result is negative. If they become unwell at any time, they should see a doctor, and may take private transport to do so. When taking private transport to visit a clinic, persons who have tested positive on an ART should inform the private transport provider of their positive ART result, wind down the windows and sit alone in the back seat during the journey. They should head directly to the clinic and return straight to the hotel after seeing the doctor.

Should a traveller who tests positive on an ART wish to recover at an alternative residence in Singapore, they may take private transport to do so. They should also inform the private transport provider of the positive test result, wind the windows down and sit alone in the back. No stops should be made in between. 

Scenario 3: Travellers who Receive a Health Risk Warning (HRW)

Those who receive a HRW should immediately isolate in their room or place of residence and test themselves with an ART on the same day. The result of the first ART on Day 1 of the HRW should be uploaded.

If the test result is negative, they may proceed with normal activities for the day. They must continue to test ART negative each day before going out from Days 2 to 7. If they test ART negative on Day 7, they may cease further testing.

If they test ART positive at any point of time, they should adhere to the protocols for travellers who have already completed their SHN and mandatory testing regimes (2C) above. If they become unwell at any point, they should seek medical attention immediately.

Travellers residing in the same hotel room as travellers who test positive for COVID-19 will similarly receive a HRW and should move to separate place of accommodation (e.g. another room in the hotel) as soon as possible. However, care-givers may opt to remain in the same place of accommodation as travellers who have tested positive for COVID-19 and should seek their hotel’s assistance to facilitate this.

It should be noted that these revised protocols for hotel guests are aligned with Singapore's management approach for the Delta variant. Confirmed and suspected cases of the Omicron variant and their close contacts will have to undergo a differentiated approach until more information is available on the Omicron variant.

Suspected or confirmed Omicron cases will be conveyed to a designated care and isolation facility for recovery and will not undergo recovery in their hotel rooms. Close contacts of these cases will also be issued a Quarantine Order and will be quarantined at a designated facility. They will undergo PCR tests at the start and end of their quarantine. 

^{1 These include, inter alia, (i) partially or unvaccinated individuals aged 50 and above, (ii) vaccinated individuals aged 80 and above, (iii) infants aged 3 months and below, or children between 3 months and 3 years of age who are clinically assessed to be unsuitable for in-situ recovery, (iv) those residing with vulnerable household members and (v) confirmed and suspected cases of the Omicron variant.}

^{2 These include travellers on Air Travel Pass (ATP) and Reciprocal Green Lane (RGL) who have completed their on-arrival COVID-19 test.}

Photos / SG Press Centre Infographic

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