[Updated on 16 March 2020]
- In view of the surge in the number of confirmed cases around the world, the Multi-Ministry Taskforce has put in place additional precautionary measures to further reduce the risk of importation of COVID-19 to Singapore. These include travel advisories against all non-essential travel abroad, and further restrictions on travellers coming into Singapore.
- The Multi-Ministry Taskforce will put in place additional border restriction measures. From 16 March 2020, 2359 hours, all travellers (including Singapore Residents, Long Term Pass holders, and short-term visitors) entering Singapore with recent travel history to ASEAN* countries, Japan, Switzerland, or the United Kingdom within the last 14 days will be issued with a 14-day Stay-Home Notice (SHN). In addition, they will have to provide proof of the place where they will serve the 14-day SHN, for example a hotel booking covering the entire period, or a place of residence they or their family members own. They may also be swabbed for testing for COVID-19, even if asymptomatic. This is because of the risk of community transmission in these countries and evidence of cases that have been imported from these countries into Singapore.
*ASEAN countries besides Singapore: Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam. SHN will not apply to Singaporeans and Malaysians at land and sea crossing with Malaysia.
- In addition to the SHN requirement, from 16 March 2020, 2359 hours, all short-term visitors who are nationals of any ASEAN country will have to submit requisite information on their health to the Singapore Overseas Mission in the country they are resident before their intended date of travel. The submission will have to be approved by Singapore’s Ministry of Health (MOH) before travel to Singapore, and the approval will be verified by the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers at the Singapore checkpoints. Short-term visitors who arrive in Singapore without the necessary approval will be denied entry into Singapore. They are therefore advised to secure the approval before making definitive travel bookings.
As previously announced, residents and long-term pass holders returning from mainland China (outside Hubei province), Iran, Italy, France, Germany, Republic of Korea, and Spain will continue to be issued a 14-day SHN upon return to Singapore, while short-term visitors from these areas will not be allowed to enter or transit through Singapore.
- All travellers entering Singapore and exhibiting fever and/or other symptoms of respiratory illness are required to undergo a COVID-19 swab test at the checkpoints, regardless of travel history. Such travellers will also be issued a 14-day SHN, which they will have to serve in full even if the result of the swab test is negative. Those who meet the clinical suspect case definition will be conveyed to the hospital for follow-up.
- The Multi-Ministry Taskforce may extend the border restriction measures to more countries as the global and local situation evolves.
Read the full MOH press release here.