Singapore will eliminate all COVID-19 testing requirements for properly vaccinated travelers at one minute past midnight on April 26.
Singapore’s Ministry of Health revealed the news as part of a dramatic shakeup of pandemic laws that will see more workers sent back to work and social distancing regulations eliminated.
The Ministry of Health said in a statement that it was now able to relax pandemic era restrictions even further, describing it as one of Singapore’s most “important steps” toward normalcy. Group size restrictions will be eliminated, physical separation will be eliminated, and capacity restrictions for major gatherings will be eased.
In addition, there will be no limit on the number of employees allowed in the workplace, and there will be no need to ‘check in’ at certain locations.
“With daily cases falling and stabilizing; the impact of the disease has been mitigated by high levels of vaccination; and the disease is typically mild, except in the unvaccinated and vulnerable groups such as the elderly,” the Ministry of Health said. As a result, Singapore’s DORSCON disease alert level will be lowered from orange to yellow for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic.
After initially closing its borders to international visitors, Singapore has gradually made it simpler for visitors to enter the city-state. Visitors were formerly obliged to complete a pre-departure PCR test as well as a series of quick antigen testing upon arrival.
The decision to waive all testing requirements will drastically reduce the cost of visiting Singapore, and it follows similar measures by countries such as Australia.
COVID-19 testing has frequently been found to dissuade potential tourists from traveling due to concerns about what would happen if they test positive in a foreign nation.
The requirements for wearing a face mask indoors, including on public transit, have not been relaxed. In outdoor environments, masking is still a possibility.
