S’pore-HK travel bubble: HK guests to take Covid-19 check flights to go ahead on Sunday, Transportation Information & Major Tales
SINGAPORE – The initially couple flights under a travel arrangement in between Hong Kong and Singapore will continue as prepared on Sunday (Nov 22) but travellers from Hong Kong will have to go for a Covid-19 test on arriving in Singapore.
The further requirement, which will choose influence on Sunday, will come immediately after a increase in the range of Covid-19 conditions in Hong Kong in the latest times. Guests from Hong Kong ended up earlier necessary to take the examination only prior to departure for Singapore.
Revealing the change on Saturday (Nov 21), the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) said website visitors will will need to consider the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test at Changi Airport as “a precautionary measure”.
“Extra instances are envisioned in Hong Kong over the subsequent handful of days due to the emergence of new clusters,” explained the CAAS in a statement.
Hong Kong described 26 instances on Friday (Nov 20), with its Well being Secretary, Professor Sophia Chan, describing the situation as “severe”.
“The Singapore and Hong Kong well being authorities are in near make contact with and monitoring the problem,” the CAAS included.
Speaking to reporters following a tour of Singapore Airlines training centre in Changi on Saturday, Transportation Minister Ong Ye Kung mentioned: “As you know, Hong Kong scenarios have spiked yesterday. Chances are present-day instances could go up even further, and we should assume a several times of substantial situations, in the tens.
“I imagine you can find a superior opportunity that the (air vacation bubble) might be suspended, dependent on what we have agreed on,” he stated.
“If inside the future three times there are additional than 22 unlinked circumstances, then I assume the suspension will kick in. But that will not impact tomorrow’s flight. Tomorrow’s flight will continue to get started simply because our mechanism is as these that when (the threshold) is breached, (the bubble) will be suspended with a 48-hour see so that travellers are not stranded.”
The PCR take a look at listed here will value $196 for each traveller, but this will be waived in the first week from Nov 22 to 28 to make it possible for travellers to change to the adjust, reported the CAAS.
Travellers will have to instantly acquire non-public transport to a declared spot of lodging – a lodge or house (for Singapore citizens) – for self-isolation when ready for the check results, which will get about six to 8 several hours.
The Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble arrangement is the Republic’s initially considering the fact that border limitations had been imposed amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Less than the arrangement, there will be just one flight a working day into each city and a quota of 200 travellers for each flight from Sunday (Nov 22).
Travellers among Singapore and Hong Kong will have to consider Covid-19 tests, in lieu of serving quarantine or keep-household notices.
There will be no limits on the objective of travel, and no have to have for a controlled itinerary, but travellers are necessary to fulfill eligibility requirements and adhere to the prevailing border command steps and public health and fitness requirements of the two cities.
Underneath the terms of the arrangement, travel will be suspended for two weeks if the seven-day going normal of the each day amount of unlinked Covid-19 situations is a lot more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong.
The figure for Hong Kong is at the moment at 2.14, claimed the CAAS on Saturday (Nov 21).
The threshold will be exceeded if there are additional than 22 unlinked cases in Hong Kong over the following 3 days. This will trigger a two-working day discover period, after which suspension will come into outcome, the authority included.
Prevailing border measures – these types of as a seven-day stay-house notice – will then implement on entry into Singapore. These prevailing measures implement to all other travellers from Hong Kong to Singapore on non-vacation bubble flights, such as company visitors.
Mr Ong mentioned that the spike in situations observed in Hong Kong is “a sobering reminder that the virus is still with us”, and it is just as very well that obstacles are taking area now at the commencing of the journey bubble.
“We are fighting to get back again our regular lifestyle and our way of lifetime. But even though we do so, be reminded the virus is even now with us right until vaccines are widely obtainable and administered to majority of individuals all over the planet,” he claimed.
A Singapore Airways spokesman stated the airline is carefully checking the situation and will do the job with the authorities on the air travel bubble flights.
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