Singapore's tightened border measures against Omicron: 7-day ART for VTL travellers, and more

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Effective 6 December, 2359 hours, all VTL travellers will be put on a daily testing regime over seven days using antigen rapid testing (ART), in addition to the prevailing pre-departure and on-arrival tests.

Singapore will once again be strengthening its precautionary measures against the COVID-19 Omicron variant, with revised travel risk category classifications for certain countries/regions, an expansion of travel restrictions, and enhanced testing regimes, and more.

This comes with a growing number of countries/regions, including Singapore, reporting cases of the variant, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said on Friday (3 December 2021).

These are the enhanced measures that will take place, in order of when they take effect:

From 4 December 2021, 2359 hours:

Expansion of travel restrictions to Ghana, Malawi, and Nigeria

All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to Ghana, Malawi and Nigeria within the last 14 days will not be allowed to enter Singapore, or transfer/ transit through Singapore.

This restriction will apply to those who have obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore, and will be in place for four weeks in the first instance, after which the Singapore Government will review and extend them if necessary.

From 6 December 2021, 2359 hours:

Re-classification of countries/regions

Due to the situation in Bulgaria, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Luxembourg, Norway, and Poland, these countries will be placed in Category III from 2359 hours on 6 December. These areas were previously in Category II on Singapore's travel risk classification list.

Self-administered ART for travellers on Vaccinated Travel Lanes

All Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL) travellers entering Singapore by air are currently required to take an on-arrival PCR test, followed by supervised ART tests on Days three and seven.

However, effective the above date and timing, all VTL travellers will be put on a daily testing regime over seven days using antigen rapid testing (ART), in addition to the prevailing pre-departure and on-arrival tests.

The tests are all self-administered, and travellers will be required to submit the results of their self-administered ART online using a link that will be sent to them via their declared contact details after arrival in Singapore.

On Days three and seven, the tests will have to be done under supervision at a Combined Test Centre (CTC) or Quick Test Centre (QTC). During this seven-day period, other than on days when they go out for their supervised tests, these travellers must test negative on their self-administered ART before going out for activities on that day.

Singapore's MOH further added that these enhanced ART protocols will also apply to travellers arriving from Malaysia via VTL-Land effective the same period.

The following table by MOH summarises the testing regime that will apply to VTL travellers effective 6 December, 2359 hours (dates illustrated are based on arrival on 7 December 2021):