Singapore freezes ticket sales for VTL flights and buses amid Omicron concerns
Singapore will suspend ticket sales for Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) flights and buses from December 23 due to Omicron COVID-19 variant concerns.
Travelers arrive at the departure hall of Changi International Airport in Singapore on August 19. (Photo: AFP)Under the programme, Singapore allows quarantine-free entry for fully vaccinated travellers arriving from certain countries on designated flights or buses. The travellers have to undergo regular testing.
About two dozen countries are listed in the programme including Australia, India, Malaysia, Britain and the United States.
The Singapore government said it would also reduce the VTL quotas and ticket sales for travel after January 20. For flights, the total number of VTL tickets would be capped at 50 percent of the previously allocated quota.
"Our border measures will help to buy us time to study and understand the Omicron variant, and to strengthen our defences, including enhancing our healthcare capacity, and getting more people vaccinated and boosted," the country’s health ministry said in a statement.
Last month, Singapore and Malaysia reopened their shared land borders, allowing vaccinated travellers to cross after nearly two years of being shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
As many as 300,000 Malaysians commuted daily to Singapore before the pandemic. The sudden closing of the border in March 2020 left tens of thousands stranded on both sides, separated from families and fearing for their jobs./.
You should also see
Youths' efforts yield socio-economic fruits
Many activities were carried out across the nation during the Vietnam’s Youth Month, an annual festivity taking place in March to celebrate the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh Communist Youth Union (HCYU), contributing to the nation’s socio-economic development, heard a conference held by the union's Central Committee in Hanoi on April 23.
See more
World
Malaysia tackles food security challenges
Empowering local communities in the agriculture sector to attract young people to this field is one of the measures taken by Malaysia to address labour shortage while also contributing to tackling challenges in food security.
World
Danger warning issued for Thailand’s Bangkok as extreme heat bites
Thai authorities on April 24 issued an extreme heat warning for Bangkok, urging people to stay indoors for their safety as temperatures soared.
World
Schools in Philippines go online amid extreme heat
Record heat in the Philippines in April has forced schools to send children home for online classes.
ASEAN
UK supports ASEAN’s economic integration
The UK delegation to ASEAN held a seminar in Jakarta, Indonesia on April 24 to discuss the ASEAN-UK economic integration programme.
World
Cambodia, Laos vow to boost bilateral ties
Cambodia and Laos vowed to boost their bilateral relations and cooperation for mutual benefits during Lao President Thongloun Sisoulith’s State visit to the neighbouring country on April 23-24.
