Singapore eased some omicron variant-related restrictions after international evidence showed the variant is more transmissible but less severe than the delta variant.
Travel restrictions have been lifted for travelers from Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe, the Ministry of Health said Sunday. All passengers with a 14-day travel history to these countries would be allowed to enter and transit through Singapore, but still subjected to some border measures.
From Jan. 15, unvaccinated persons going to work would no longer be required to undergo mandatory pre-event testing.
Also, all new applications for and renewal of existing long-term passes, work passes as well as permanent residences would require vaccination as a condition for approval from Feb. 1, the ministry said.
From Monday, local omicron cases would be placed on the Home Recovery Program or managed at community care facilities depending on their clinical presentation, instead of being isolated in dedicated facilities.
Close contacts of omicron cases would be issued a seven-day Health Risk Warning instead of being quarantined for 10 days, the MOH said, and those currently in quarantine will be progressively discharged over the next few days.
