SINGAPORE - Travellers from more countries will be allowed to serve their stay-home notices at their own place of residence when they arrive here from Nov 4.
These countries are Estonia, Fiji, Finland, Japan, Norway, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Turkey, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) in a statement on Tuesday evening (Oct 27).
Travellers from these countries can apply to opt out of dedicated stay-home notice facilities from Nov 2.
This is conditional on them fulfilling certain criteria, such as having not travelled to other countries aside from the ones mentioned in the last 14 days prior to entry.
They must also be staying in their place of residence alone, or only with household members who are also serving stay-home notices and have the same travel history and duration.
However, as the list of countries will be consistently updated according to public health risk assessment, "all travellers must be prepared to be subject to the prevailing border measures upon entry, including stay in dedicated stay-home notice facilities and payment, where applicable", said the MOH.
Other travellers from selected low-risk countries or regions must serve a seven-day stay-home notice at their place of residence. All other travellers must serve a 14-day stay-home notice at dedicated facilities.
All travellers who choose to stay in their place of residence must remain at their declared place at all times, and will be required to wear an electronic monitoring device issued at the checkpoints after they clear immigration.
They will be required to activate it once they reach their place of residence.
Physical spot checks will be conducted as well, and strict enforcement action will be taken against those who breach their stay-home notice or make false declarations.
Special transport arrangements will have to be made from the immigration checkpoint to the traveller's place of residence, and their respective testing facilities, where they have to be swabbed for Covid-19 before the end of their stay-home notice.
The total cost of around $200-$220 for all trips would be borne by the traveller.
With effect from Jan 1 next year, MOH said that the Government will no longer waive the costs of stay at dedicated stay-home notice facilities for Singaporeans and permanent residents who last left Singapore before March 27 this year, as the vast majority have already returned.
Similarly, all new and returning travellers, including long-term pass holders, will be responsible for their medical bills, should they develop Covid-19 symptoms within 14 days of their arrival.
Singaporeans and PRs may tap on government subsidies and MediShield Life or Integrated Shield Plan to pay for their medical bills.
All short-term visit pass holders are responsible for their medical bills at unsubsidised rates throughout their stay in Singapore if they were to test positive for Covid-19.
