All vaccinated visitors will be able to travel to Singapore without quarantine after the omicron wave subsides.

• Authorities in Singapore have announced that vaccinated visitors from all countries will be exempt from quarantine on arrival once the omicron wave has passed.
• Minister for Transport S Iswaran stated that our ultimate aim is to enable travel for all vaccinated individuals without quarantine restrictions.
• Gan Kim Yong, the minister for trade and industry, stated that the omicron wave could peak in a few weeks, but no date for the new policy's implementation was set by the authorities.

Singapore plans to exempt vaccinated travelers from quarantine upon arrival once the omicron wave has subsided, officials announced during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

The Health Minister stated that travel rules were implemented to prevent infections from entering the country, but this category of cases accounts for only 1% of daily cases and no longer significantly affects Singapore's Covid situation.

He stated that the health-care system will be severely burdened if visitors to Singapore fall severely ill.

He suggested that we should focus less on SHN and testing travelers and instead prioritize ensuring that they are fully vaccinated and boosted.

Instead of limiting travel lanes to low-risk countries, we should allow SHN-free travel for all fully vaccinated travelers.

He suggested that we postpone the transition until the omicron wave has peaked and begun to decline.

Gan Kim Yong, the minister for trade and industry, stated that the omicron wave could peak in a few weeks, but no date for the new policy's implementation was set by the authorities.

Vaccinated travel lanes

To facilitate the reopening of its borders, Singapore previously established vaccinated travel lanes, which enable travelers from specific countries to visit without undergoing quarantines.

When new border measures are implemented, all vaccinated travelers from any country will not have to undergo quarantine.

Minister for Transport S Iswaran stated that our ultimate aim is to enable travel for all vaccinated individuals without quarantine restrictions.

Singapore will revise its categorization of countries for visitors under its "vaccinated traveler system."

Countries will be categorized into three groups - restricted, general, and low infection - from Feb. 22. Most countries will fall under the general category and adhere to the same entry requirements unless a VTL has been implemented.

Authorities stated that no countries are currently in the restricted category, but they may be added if a new variant of concern is discovered.

The health ministry has announced that previously deferred vaccinated travel lanes with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates will begin on February 25. Additionally, new VTLs for Israel, Hong Kong, and the Philippines will be launched.

Covid situation

Singapore reported a record 19,420 new Covid cases on Tuesday.

In the past 28 days, over 99.7% of reported cases exhibited mild or no symptoms.

Since the start of the Covid pandemic, the city-state has recorded 497,997 Covid cases and 913 related deaths.

Over 64% of Singapore's population have received boosters, while approximately 90% have received two shots under the national vaccination program.