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Singapore plans to open up quarantine-free travel by September

As more of the world looks to move on, Singapore is aiming to allow quarantine-free travel for those who are fully vaccinated from September, when 80 per cent of the city state's population should be inoculated, the government says.

As more of the world looks to move on, Singapore is aiming to allow quarantine-free travel for those who are fully vaccinated from September, when 80 per cent of the city state’s population should be inoculated, the government says.

Singapore will establish travel corridors with countries or regions where the pandemic is under control, and those who are vaccinated may not have to quarantine or may be allowed to isolate at home, Finance Minister Lawrence Wong said.

The dynamic city-state is also set to review whether to loosen curbs in early August when two-thirds of its population would be fully inoculated.

“The easing will be differentiated and extended to only vaccinated persons because they are much better protected against the effects of the virus,” Wong said on Monday.

“If you want to go out to dine in the restaurant or work out in the gym, you have to be fully vaccinated.”

Singapore Travel

Last week, the country tightened social curbs, including halting restaurant dining and banning gatherings of more than two people for one month, after a rise in infections.

More than half the country has received both doses of either Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines. It has inoculated nearly 75 per cent of its 5.7 million people with at least one dose, the world’s second-highest rate behind the United Arab Emirates.

As countries with advanced vaccination campaigns prepare to live with COVID-19 as an endemic disease, their focus is turning to prevent death and serious diseases through vaccination.

So what does that mean for Australia?

Prior to the Sydney lockdown in early June, both governments had been in talks to progress a conversation around opening up a reciprocal travel bubble akin to that of the New Zealand green zone.

Cabinet minister Peter Dutton said at the time that he hoped the travel bubble could be established as soon as possible.

“It’s not going to happen tomorrow, but let’s work toward it as quickly as we can,” he told the Nine Network.

“Singapore is a great partner to work with, they are very reliable, they have a great health system and are a great tourism destination, as has Australia for those tourists that want to get out of Singapore and come to a great country like Australia,” he said.

Singapore’s latest vaccination push ad

Via AAP