Singapore tightens border measures due to Omicron variant
Singapore has decided to tighten border measures, enhance its COVID-19 testing protocols and put a break on relaxation on social measures to better counter the Omicron variant of the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-19.
People wait in line and keep a distance to enter a market in Singapore. (Photo: AFP/VNA)
Singapore (VNA) – Singapore has decided totighten border measures, enhance its COVID-19 testing protocols and put a breakon relaxation on social measures to better counter the Omi🌄cron variant of thecoronavirus SARS-CoV-2 that causes COVID-🔯19.
In a press conference held on November 30, theMulti-Ministry COVID-19 Taskforce (MTF) said although Singapore has yet toreport any cases of the new variant, the country needs to roll out preventivemeasures. Stricter control measures will be applied starting December3. Travellers must undergo supervised self-administered antigen rapid tests onthe third and seventh day of their arrival. Currently, travellers of vaccinated travel lane only need totake an on-arrival polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test and self-quarantineuntil they get a negative result. In addition, all people who travelled to Singapore onNovember 12-27 and had travel history to Omicron-hit areas and nations must betested again./.
Singapore and Malaysia will launch a quarantine-free travel lane at their land border crossing, one of the world's busiest, for people vaccinated against COVID-19.
Singapore and Malaysia on November 29 reopened their shared land borders, allowing vaccinated travellers to cross after nearly two years of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Singapore has decided to defer launching vaccinated travel lanes (VTL) with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and review border measures amid the emergence of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
Singapore’s economic growth may slow down to 3 - 5 percent in 2022 amid an uneven domestic recovery and lingering uncertainty over global growth, according to the country’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
People wait in line and keep a distance to enter a market in Singapore. (Photo: AFP/VNA) 
