Singapore to gradually reopen borders, plans to resume essential travel among countries with low COVID-19 transmission rate

Singapore will gradually reopen its borders with safeguards in place to allow Singaporeans to conduct essential activities abroad and for foreigners to enter and transit through the country, the Ministry of Health said Tuesday. "We will do so in a careful manner with the necessary precautions and safeguards," the ministry said. But the reopening of Singapore's borders will be "assessed and implemented separately from the timing of the three broad phases of re-opening" as the global situation remains "volatile". "Singapore is currently exploring the possibility of piloting green lane arrangements with a few countries assessed to be at equivalent or lower risk of community transmission as Singapore, for which essential travel in limited numbers and with safeguards, could be conducted safely," the health ministry said. It will consider expanding such arrangements gradually as global conditions improve.<br/>