Travelers arriving from Taiwan and other low-risk countries will no longer have to undergo PCR testing after arriving in Singapore. Singapore officials announced on Wednesday that this new rule will go into effect on February 22. After that date, travelers from Taiwan will instead have to take a supervised rapid-test within 24 hours of arrival.
All travelers entering or boarding connecting flights through Singapore will still have to take a pre-departure test within two days of their departure for Singapore and present proof of a negative result.
Singapore has separated all countries and regions into four categories, based on the risk of spreading COVID-19. Countries like Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and Macau are considered low risk, so these travelers do not need to quarantine after arrival, and can freely travel after presenting a negative test result.
Singapore's health ministry says that since the rate of COVID-19 cases within Singapore is similar to most other countries, the government is not worried about potential imported cases having a strong impact.
On top of changes to testing rules, the quarantine period for travelers from high-risk countries is set to get shorter. The isolation period will drop to just seven days on February 22.