Singapore residents or long-term pass holders who leave the country despite government travel advisories will have to pay full hospital charges if admitted for coronavirus-related treatment on their return.
About 1,000 people still travel each day, risking the health of other Singaporeans and residents when they return, the Ministry of Health said yesterday.
This has led to the new ruling: Any Singapore resident or long-term pass holder who leaves from Friday in disregard of the prevailing travel advisories will be charged unsubsidised rates for inpatient stays at public hospitals if they are admitted for suspected Covid-19 and have the onset of symptoms within 14 days of returning to Singapore.
Singapore residents will also not be able to claim from MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plans for such treatment at public and private hospitals.
On top of that, work-pass holders or their dependants who leave Singapore from Friday will be deprioritised for entry approval and could see significant delays before they are allowed to return if they travel abroad and return infected.
Health Minister Gan Kim Yong and National Development Minister Lawrence Wong, co-chairmen of a government task force to fight the coronavirus, told a media briefing yesterday that all Singaporeans and residents must take the measures seriously.
The task force said last Wednesday that Singaporeans should defer all travel, a more stringent requirement than the earlier advisory to defer non-essential travel.
Restrictions have also been imposed on inbound travel.
Since last Friday, all Singaporeans, permanent residents, long-term pass holders and short-term visitors entering Singapore have been served with a 14-day stay-home notice, meaning they must remain in their place of residence at all times.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority said on Monday that from 9am on Friday, all arrivals - including Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders - must submit an online health declaration before proceeding with immigration clearance.
