Simplified testing for VTL arrivals from Mar 15; Singapore working with Malaysia on Apr 1 reopening

SINGAPORE is further simplifying its on-arrival tests for Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrivals, in preparation for a new Vaccinated Travel concept in the coming weeks, the multi-ministry taskforce on Covid-19 said at a press conference on Friday (Mar 11).

From Mar 14, 11.59pm, arriving VTL and Category I travellers will only need to take an unsupervised self-swab Antigen Rapid Test (ART) within 24 hours of entry, said taskforce co-chair and Trade and Industry Minister Gan Kim Yong.

They will have to report this unsupervised self-swab ART test result via Sync, an online portal for sharing Covid-19 records, before going about their activities in the Republic. Pre-departure test requirements have not changed.

Gan also welcomed Malaysia's announcement of its border reopening on Apr 1, adding that Singapore is currently in discussion with the Malaysian authorities: "We are working out the detailed operational arrangements with them and will share more details when we are ready."

These arrangements include those for cars, motorcycles and additional buses, including private coaches engaged by companies to ferry workers between the countries, although this "involves significant adjustment and fine-tuning of the operations on the ground" before allowing more traffic to cross, added Gan.

Besides sorting out the operational details, the timing of reopening must also be worked out, with the respective Ministries of Health "in constant touch" for this, said fellow taskforce co-chair and Health Minister Ong Ye Kung. 

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"It must be done when the pandemic situation on both sides allows," he said, adding that they cannot "pre-determine the date". 

The new on-arrival testing regime for VTL travellers replaces the previous requirement for a supervised self-swab ART, which had itself been simplified from an on-arrival polymerase chain reaction test as of Feb 22. The Category I regions, which are considered to be low-infection, are listed as China, Macau and Taiwan.

The new measures are also important steps to take to prepare the country for a new vaccinated travel concept in the coming weeks, where fully vaccinated travellers generally need not apply for approval to enter Singapore, and will undergo simplified test requirements, said the taskforce.

Finance Minister and taskforce co-chair Lawrence Wong said the taskforce is looking to introduce the concept of a "vaccinated traveller" rather than having VTLs with different countries.

This would allow travel to resume for individuals as long as they are vaccinated, no matter their country of origin, although there may still be restricted travel for certain countries that have "variants of concern", he added.

READ MORE: 'Streamlining' of Covid-19 measures from Mar 15 as Omicron wave peaks