Balanced News: Singapore drops pre-departure requirements for travelers, further eases mask rules

The Singapore government is dropping pre-departure requirements for travelers, further easing restrictions on masks. These changes are significant steps in marking Covid-19 as an endemic and “new norm” for Singapore. All travelers entering the country via air or sea must still to submit a health declaration before or on arrival, and short-term visitors will not be required to buy Covid travel insurance. Previously, non-fully vaccinated visitors were required to test negative for Covid within 2 days prior to their departure for Singapore. While travelers who are not fully vaccinated can now enter Singapore without pre-departure tests, vaccinated travel lanes will remain “for reactivation,” should there be international developments of concern such as new variants. Singapore opened vaccinated travel lanes in April 2022 to facilitate safe resumption of international travel. After locking down large parts of the city-state and ramping up travel and dining restrictions at the start of the pandemic in 2020, Singapore began lifting most of its Covid