Singapore Opens Borders to More Countries

Looking to get to what it calls a “new normal,” Singapore officials say they are opening the country’s borders to more countries.

Fully vaccinated tourists will not have to quarantine if visiting the exotic destination and passing a COVID-19 test.

According to Reuters News Service, Singapore’s travel program for fully vaccinated people began in September with Germany and Brunei, will include South Korea next month, and, eventually, the United States, Britain, France and Spain.

The Southeast Asian nation, one of the world’s biggest travel and finance hubs, is home to Asian headquarters of thousands of global companies whose executives have long relied on Singapore’s connectivity.

Moreover, it is a hugely popular tourist destination. More than 19 million visitors traveled to Singapore in 2019, but with this new program, only 3,000 travelers a day will be allowed to enter the country.

Singapore has seen a rise in infections, but Reuters noted that almost all of them are asymptomatic or mild. About 83 percent of the population in Singapore is fully vaccinated, one of the world’s highest rates.

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said Singapore will reach a new normal and can lighten restrictions when cases stabilize, even if they stay in the hundreds.

“It will take us at least three months, and perhaps as long as six months, to get there,” Lee said in an address to the nation, which has largely kept the virus at bay since last year with masks, contact tracing and a closed border. “After this surge stabilizes, we may still see future surges, especially if new variants emerge. We may have to tap on the brakes again if cases again grow too fast, to protect our healthcare system and healthcare workers.”

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