(Image: Unsplash)
Cover (Image: Unsplash)

Singapore has also gone back to Phase 2 with stricter regulations being put in place as a result of the sharp increase in community cases

Travellers with recent travel histories to countries that have a higher risk of Covid-19 transmissions will have to serve an extended 21-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities from May 8. 

If you are currently serving a stay-home notice and do not complete it by May 8, you will be required to serve an additional seven days at your stay-home notice location.

(Related: Singapore Returns to Phase 2: New Covid-19 Social Distancing Rules You Need to Know)

The countries that fall under the high-risk category refer to all places except Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Mainland China, New Zealand, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau.

The new regulations were laid out by the multi-ministry task force on Tuesday evening at a press conference where they also announced new regulations that would put Singapore back in Phase 2 following the recent spike in community cases. 

Additionally, border measures for incoming travellers from May 8 will be determined by their recent travel history in the past 21 days. This is up from the current 14-day travel history period. 

The new regulations come just as Singapore announced that they would be banning short-term visitors and long-term pass holders who have recently travelled to Bangladesh, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.  

Singapore has also added that travellers who have visited Fiji or Vietnam in the past 21 days will have to serve their 21-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities upon entering Singapore. They may serve the last seven days of their notice at their place of residence. 

Travellers who have been to these two places and have not completed their 14-day stay-home notice by May 8 can complete their remaining required days at their current location or at their place of residence.

(Related: Singapore Tightens Covid-19 Restrictions, Public Urged to Limit Social Gatherings to 2 a Day)

That said, travellers from the United Kingdom, South Africa, Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka who are currently serving their 21-day stay-home notice will have to serve their full duration at a dedicated facility due to the fact that their countries pose a higher risk. 

If you have yet to complete your stay-home notice before May 8, you will have to continue serving your notice at your current location to minimise movement and to lower the risk of transmission. 

Travellers will be required to undergo Covid-19 tests upon arrival, on the 14th day of their stay-home notice and once again before they end their 21-day period. 

At the press conference, Education Minister Lawrence Wong emphasised the need for Singapore to take a "risk-based approach" to manage its borders. 

He said: "The point is, we continue to keep our border measures as tight as possible, but we cannot rely solely on border controls. We have to make use of other tools at our disposal: testing, tracing, safe management measures and now vaccination. If we do all of this well, then we can control the spread of the infection in our community."

(Related: New Safeentry Gateway Device Used at 2,700 Places in Singapore For Faster Check-in)