SINGAPORE will simplify the testing regime for both air and land vaccinated travel lane (VTL) schemes from Monday, with no more supervised antigen rapid test (ART) on Days 3 and 7 from the date of arrival.

The republic’s multi-ministry task force (MTF) on Covid-19 said travellers also need not submit their test results but have to test negative before going out.

“We will remove this requirement. In other words, travellers will undergo unsupervised self-administered ART from Days 2 to 7 of their arrival if they need to leave their place of residence or accommodation,” said MTF co-chair Gan Kim Yong at a virtual press conference in Singapore today.

MTF also announced that travellers arriving on Monday, who are fully vaccinated or recovered recently from Covid-19 – within 90 days of their last infection – will be exempted from all testing and stay-home notice (SHN) requirements provided they are able to show documentary proof.

On December 31 last year, Singapore announced a four-week extension to the enhanced seven-day testing regime for travellers arriving via VTL to facilitate the detection of imported Omicron cases and slow transmission into the community.

In a statement separately provided to the media, MTF said imported cases now form a shrinking proportion of Singapore’s overall cases, thus the earlier measures are less relevant.

MTF also said it will continue to maintain a 50% limit on VTL flight and bus tickets for entry into Singapore.

On the Covid-19 situation in the country, Gan, who is also the minister for trade and industry, noted that the number of Omicron cases has risen rapidly, especially over the last few days.

He said it could be ascertained about 75% of daily Covid-19 cases are of the Omicron variant.

“But in reality, the proportion is likely to be higher perhaps close to 90% or more. Omicron has clearly dominated over Delta variant in Singapore,” he said.

Gan said given the Omicron variant is more infectious, it is likely that “we will soon see a significant wave”.

He hoped that the public will remain vigilant, especially during the Chinese New Year season.

“The safe management measures (SMM) we have put in place will help to lower the risk of transmission and reduce the stress on our healthcare system. We will maintain our current SMM for now,” he said.

As Singapore rides through the Omicron wave, Gan warned that it has to be prepared that a significant proportion of its workforce may be infected with Covid-19.

“If we have, for example, 15,000 cases a day, which is very possible with each one of them out of action for an average of say about five days… we are looking at some 75,000 workers absent due to Covid-19,” he said.

“If we include those who are close contacts and have to isolate themselves… the number will be much higher and they may be concentrated in certain companies or specific sectors.

“Services may, therefore, be disrupted from time to time. This has been the experience of other countries and we cannot take it lightly.”

Hence, he said businesses should put in place robust continuity plans to mitigate disruptions to their operations, particularly those in the essential services. – Bernama, January 21, 2022.