SINGAPORE: All long-term pass holders and short-term visitors with recent travel history to India within the last 14 days will not be allowed entry into Singapore from Apr 24, announced the Ministry of Health (MOH) on Thursday (Apr 22).
This includes visitors who transit in India, and all who had obtained prior approval for entry into Singapore, he said.
India’s COVID-19 situation has worsened in recent days, with daily records of new cases.
Noting that many of the new arrivals from India work in the construction, marine and process sectors and live in the dormitories, COVID-19 multi-ministry task force co-chair, Lawrence Wong, said on Thursday: “We know that this major move will have an impact on our construction, marine and process sectors. And many local SMEs and contractors will be badly impacted.
“The Government will be looking at providing additional support measures to help these companies.”
There is no evidence that the recent cases at the Westlite Woodlands Dormitory are linked to a new strain from India, said Mr Wong, who is also the Education Minister.
READ: Measures put in place at Westlite Woodlands dormitory after 17 recovered workers test positive for COVID-19 again
“Even if they were to serve out the stay-home notices, we know that that is never 100 per cent foolproof, and leaks can still happen,” he added.
“And if such a leak were to happen amongst new Indian arrivals working in these sectors, then a new strain may get leaked into the dormitory and worse, even recovered or vaccinated workers may get infected and then we may see new clusters emerging again in our dormitories.”
STRICTER MEASURES
The health ministry also announced on Thursday that all travellers with recent travel history to India who have yet to complete their 14-day stay-home notice by 2359…