Reporter : Deng Weiting / http://www.minhangshi.com/m/h5/detail/9272855 / Translation, editing : Gan Yung Chyan, KUCINTA SETIA
Singapore’s Transport Minister Wang Yikang pointed out in a radio talk show that stay-home notifications and quarantine restrictions will stifle travel. So Singapore must replace home notifications with other safe methods. If we can combine covid testing measures and vaccines, bilateral tourism corridors may be opened in the second half of this year.
Singapore is actively exploring various ways to safely open its borders, including opening bilateral tourism channels with places where the SARS-CoV-2 infection rate is at a low level, so that vaccinated travelers can travel across the border without needing to be isolated for 14 days. This plan may be implemented in the second half of this year.
The Minister of Transport Wang Yikang pointed out in an interview program on the English radio station MONEY FM 89.3 that tourists often stay in Singapore for only three to five days and are unwilling to accept 14-day quarantine. Home notifications and quarantine restrictions will stifle travel. Therefore, Singapore must use other safe methods to replace stay-home notices. If we can combine covid testing meaures and vaccines, bilateral tourism corridors may be opened in the second half of this year.
Wang Yikang pointed out that although vaccines are changing the rules of the game, they must also be implemented in conjunction with other measures, including testing, implementing "aviation bubble" tourism measures, requiring travelers to only travel in restricted venues, and sending them to safe countries and regions that have managed the epidemic, open the borders and so on.
Singapore can open its borders to places where the virus infection rate is at a low-to-medium level and a vaccination plan has been launched. "This (condition) combined with testing may be able to open a safe tourist corridor."
Currently, Singapore has unilaterally lifted border restrictions on Australia, Brunei, China, New Zealand and Taiwan.
Talking about the aviation bubble plan, Wang Yikang said that Singapore is currently the only safe place open to the outside world through this plan. Only when other places are willing to do the same and reach a reciprocal arrangement can an aviation bubble be formed. He hopes that this arrangement can be implemented within this year.
The Singapore and Hong Kong aviation bubble plans were originally scheduled to be launched in November last year. However, due to the rebound of the Hong Kong epidemic, the plans were forced to call an emergency stop on the eve of sailing. They have not yet been launched. Hong Kong has added a number of cases this week. The authorities are on high alert, and the aviation bubble cannot be restarted until conditions permit.
Wang Yikang said: "During the epidemic, things often do not follow the plan. We must always explore different ways to open the border and keep trying. Some solutions are feasible, some are not feasible, and some solutions that are not feasible now may be feasible in the future."
He pointed out that SARS-CoV-2 mutates and spreads asymptomatically. He does not know what challenges it will bring. However, many countries already have control programs that include not only vaccines, but also testing, safety distances, and mask measures. Taken together, they will play a role.
"We will do better and better, which is why we think the aviation industry will see some recovery this year."
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