We’re now at the stage where Singapore is slowly reopening and reinstating societal norms – as evident by the introduction of Phase 2 this Friday (19 Jun).
Naturally, this sparks hope that international travel could soon join the list of resumed activities.
But while Singaporeans can currently fly to countries like China for work reasons, it seems unlikely that visits to Australia will be allowed for the rest of the year.
According to the Aussie Trade Minister Simon Birmingham, the land down under is unlikely to reopen its border to international travellers until 2021, reports The Straits Times.
The ruling might not be extended to students and long-term visitors, however.
For this group of people, the quarantine rule for returning Australians could apply. This means a mandatory 14-day quarantine upon arrival.
On 30 May, Minister for Industry and Trade Chan Chun Sing mentioned in a press conference that Singapore is in talks with other nations to establish “green lanes”.
Among the countries mentioned was Australia, as well as New Zealand, Malaysia and South Korea.
These lanes will specifically be for business and official travel, so it’ll still be a while before leisure travel is allowed.
No matter what, safety remains an utmost concern.
Although reopening is an exciting prospect, countries need to ensure that they open their doors to the world in a responsible and manageable way. They will need to prioritise safety so that their citizens will not have to face another wave of infections.
Hence, let’s exercise a little more patience, and wait for the day where we can officially travel for leisure again.
Featured image adapted from Headout.
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