Singapore to 'drastically streamline' testing, quarantine rules with Vaccinated Travel Framework

SINGAPORE will "drastically streamline testing and quarantine requirements for travellers", said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday morning in a live broadcast on the next phase of living with Covid-19.

"This simplified Vaccinated Travel Framework will let Singaporeans travel abroad more easily - almost like before Covid-19. It will also lift most restrictions for fully vaccinated visitors entering Singapore," he said.

Details will be provided by the multi-ministry taskforce on Covid-19 after his broadcast, he added.

The easing of cross-border travel comes alongside the relaxation of domestic measures, with the latter taking effect from Mar 29.

Earlier, Singapore was cautious about relaxing border curbs due to uncertainty over the impact of the Omicron variant, said Lee. But the Omicron situation is now well under control, and nearly all of Singapore's cases are domestic, with arrivals from abroad forming only a very small proportion.

"We can therefore safely open up our borders," said Lee, adding that this will reconnect Singapore with the world, give a much-needed boost to businesses - particularly the tourism sector - and help Singapore reclaim its position as a business and aviation hub.

On Wednesday, Health Minister Ong Ye Kung had said that Singapore and Malaysia will work towards the full resumption of air and land travel for vaccinated persons, following a meeting with his Malaysian counterpart Khairy Jamaluddin and Director-General of Health Noor Hisham Abdullah in Kuala Lumpur.

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