This file photo shows immigration clearance counters at Terminal 1 (T1) of Changi Airport in Singapore, on Thursday, Dec 13, 2018. (NICKY LOH / BLOOMBERG)
HONG KONG – The governments of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and Singapore announced on Thursday that they were no longer pursuing the planned air travel bubble (ATB) between the two cities due to differences in their anti-pandemic strategies.
In a statement, the HKSAR government also welcomed Singapore's announcement to unilaterally allow the entry of travelers from Hong Kong quarantine-free starting just before midnight on Friday.
The HKSAR government also welcomed Singapore's announcement to unilaterally allow the entry of travelers from Hong Kong quarantine-free starting just before midnight on Friday
The HKSAR government said the city-state's decision is a step forward in resuming cross-border travel between the two regional aviation hubs.
Travelers from Singapore coming to Hong Kong will have to follow rules required for arrivals from countries considered as medium-risk for COVID-19.
Starting Friday, fully vaccinated Hong Kong residents and non-Hong Kong residents from medium-risk places will be quarantined for 14 days upon arrival, instead of seven days, followed by a seven-day self-monitoring period.
Unvaccinated non-residents are not allowed to come back from medium risk-countries, while unvaccinated residents need to undergo 21 days of hotel quarantine with six tests.
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An HKSAR government spokesman said that the planned ATB between the HKSAR and Singapore was premised on the two cities pursuing similar anti-pandemic strategies.
With Singapore moving towards a new strategy of building a "COVID-resilient" nation, the basic premises that underpinned the ATB have changed, the spokesman said.
Take for instance the seven-day moving average of unlinked local cases, which is the criterion for suspending and resuming the ATB based on the agreed framework. The figure may not be kept consistently at the required level in Singapore as a result of its new strategy, he said.
The spokesman stressed that the HKSAR and Singapore remain committed to facilitating connectivity between the two places and would continue to maintain dialogue and share experiences.
READ MORE: Singapore eases COVID-19 rules for travelers from HKSAR