SINGAPORE will lift most of its strict coronavirus curbs next week, announced officials today, hailing a “significant step” towards normalcy.

The city-state reopened its borders to all vaccinated visitors earlier this month, joining other countries in the region that recently dropped travel curbs as they shift to living with Covid-19.

Authorities today announced plans to lift more measures, including scrapping all testing requirements for vaccinated travellers beginning April 26.

Daily infections and hospitalisations have declined in the past week, with less than 3,000 local cases a day on average, said the Health Ministry in a press release.

“While this represents a significant step in our return to normalcy, the pandemic is not over.”

Group size limits and safe distancing requirements will also be lifted from Tuesday, and all workers will be allowed to return to the office.

People will no longer be required to check in with contact-tracing tokens or apps when entering most venues, but masks will still be required for indoor settings and on public transportation.

“With all these changes, we can now have a well-deserved breather after two very difficult years of fighting the virus,” said Lawrence Wong, co-chair of a government task force fighting Covid-19.

“But let us always remember that though we are getting closer to the finish line, the race is not over. The pandemic is certainly not over,” he added, warning that curbs can be reintroduced if a new variant poses a threat.

The country of 5.5 million kept Covid-19 cases low through border closures and a tough lockdown at the start of the pandemic.

It has faced sizeable outbreaks since last year and, with some of the highest vaccination rates in the world, authorities shifted to a policy of living with the virus. – AFP, April 22, 2022.