Singapore must take 'calculated risk' of reopening borders: PM Lee

SINGAPORE must reopen its borders - and do so in a controlled and safe way - to preserve the country's status as an international hub, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong in a national broadcast on Monday, where he also announced the Dec 28 start of Phase 3 of domestic reopening.

Even as Singapore enters this third and final phase, Covid-19 has not been eradicated and there is a long way to go, said Mr Lee.

The pandemic is still raging worldwide, with many countries seeing subsequent waves of infection and record numbers of daily cases, and international borders remain largely closed.

"But trade and travel are our lifeblood. And the longer our own borders stay closed to travellers, the greater the risk of us permanently losing out as an international hub, and consequently hurting our livelihoods," he said, adding that the "only option" is to reopen the borders in a controlled and safe manner.

As this happens, however, he cautioned that there will be more imported cases, with some risk of these cases spreading the virus to the community.

Mr Lee noted recent cases of an airport staff who may have been in contact with infected passengers, and a marine worker who picked up the virus after boarding ships for repair and resupply.

"This is a calculated risk we have to accept. But the government will take every precaution, and do our best to prevent imported cases from triggering a new outbreak," he said. Singaporeans must also keep their guard up against existing community circulation, he added.