SINGAPORE, Dec 15 (Bernama) — Singapore today announced a new segregated travel lane (STL) as part of the republic’s efforts to re-open its borders in a controlled and safe manner.
According to the Singapore Ministry of Trade and Industry, the STL will facilitate essential global business exchanges and support the revival of Singapore’s air hub status and hospitality sector.
The STL will be open to a limited number of business, official, and high economic value travelers from all countries who are coming to Singapore for short-term stays of up to 14 days, it said in a statement here.
The ministry said applications will open in the middle of January 2021 and the first travelers will be able to arrive from the second half of that month.
MTI said the STL, which will complement other travel lanes that have already been established such as the reciprocal green lane (RGL), will have strict health and testing protocols to protect travelers and the local community.
For the entire duration of their stay in Singapore, STL travelers will be housed in a “bubble” within dedicated facilities (segregated facilities), undergo regular testing, and strictly observe all prevailing safe management measures (SMMs).
The STL travelers will be able to conduct meetings with local visitors and with other STL traveler groups, with SMMs in place, while in the Segregated Facilities.
Among the health and testing protocols, the travelers will have to present a valid negative COVID-19 polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test prior to leaving their home country, and obtain a PCR test on arrival in Singapore.
They would also have to undergo antigen rapid tests (ART) on days three, five, seven, and 11, insofar as the traveler remains accommodated in the segregated facilities.
