Non-VTL travellers to Singapore need not do on arrival COVID test soon

SINGAPORE – All non-Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) travellers entering Singapore will no longer need to undergo a COVID-19 PCR test on-arrival from 11.59pm, 7 January 2022, the Ministry of Health said on Friday (31 December).

This will apply to travellers from Category II (non-VTL), III and IV countries.

As the authorities have gathered more information on the Omicron variant, they have further assessed that on-arrival tests for non-VTL travellers, who are required to serve a seven-day or 10-day Stay Home Notice either at their place of residence or at a dedicated facility, are no longer required, MOH said.

Meanwhile, MOH said the enhanced testing regime for VTL travellers to Singapore will be extended for an additional four weeks.

MOH previously announced that all VTL travellers must undergo COVID-19 tests up till Day 7 of their arrival and strictly adhere to this enhanced testing regime for four weeks in the first instance until 2 January 2022.

“The enhancement has proven effective in detecting imported Omicron cases amongst VTL travellers and reducing onward transmission,” MOH said.

As of Thursday, MOH has detected 912 Omicron imported cases in Singapore, of whom 685 were detected through testing of VTL travellers.

MOH confirmed 311 new COVID cases on Thursday, of whom 193 were in the community, 114 were imported and four were migrant workers living in dormitories. One person also died from the infection.

As of Thursday, 279 COVID cases were hospitalised, of whom 45 required oxygen supplementation. A total of 20 COVID patients were in the intensive care unit, of whom four were under close monitoring and 16 were critically ill.

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