Singapore has lifted the travel ban imposed on Nigeria and nine other African countries over the emergence of Omicron variant of Covid-19.
All passengers arriving Singapore with a 14-day travel history from the 10 African will now have to be subjected to the country’s Category IV border measures.
Recall that Singapore, had on December 3 placed travel restrictions on Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe.
The country’s ministry of health said the decision was adopted as a risk containment approach to reduce the spread of Omicron in Singapore.
However, weeks after imposing a travel ban 9n the 10 African countries, the Ministry of Health, in a press release announced decision to lift the ban with effect from December 26.
This means travellers with links to these countries must take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test within two days before departure to Singapore, as well as an on-arrival PCR test. They will also have to serve a 10-day stay-home notice at a dedicated facility. Another PCR test will be administered at the end of their quarantine period.
The Press release reads, “with the increasing global spread of Omicron, the travel restrictions we had instituted earlier will need to be updated. In particular we will need to end the travel restrictions on Botswana, Eswatini, Ghana, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, South Africa and Zimbabwe from December 26, 2021, 2359hours.
“All passengers with 14-day travel history to the countries listed above will be allowed to enter and transit through Singapore and will be subjected to border measures for Category IV countries/regions.”
