SINGAPORE, Nov 30 — From 11.59pm on Thursday (December 2), travellers entering Singapore from higher-risk countries and regions must undergo a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival. 

These include travellers entering the country from Category 2 countries that are not on the quarantine-free vaccinated travel lane (VTL) scheme, as well as those in Categories 3 and 4.

In the meantime, all travellers arriving in Singapore under the VTL scheme will have to take two extra Covid-19 antigen rapid tests (ARTs) on their third and seventh day of arrival under supervision at a quick test centre. 

The Ministry of Health (MOH) announced the extra testing requirements today as part of a slew of measures to contain the Omicron strain of the coronavirus. 

MOH said that the extra testing requirements for travellers from these regions, as well as for those entering via the VTLs, would be in place for four weeks. The authorities will then review and extend these measures if needed.

While Singapore has not detected the potentially more infectious variant here so far, MOH said that the tightened controls would help the authorities quickly detect and isolate cases and reduce the risk of importation.

In response to the Omicron variant showing up in more countries, Singapore’s authorities also announced other new measures to contain its spread at its borders and in the community.

These include: