In Parliament
Written Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung to Parliamentary Question on Requiring Singaporeans to be Fully Vaccinated before Taking Air Travel Bubble Flights
10 May 2021
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Miss Cheng Li Hui asked the Minister for Transport on air travel bubbles
a. whether the Ministry has considered requiring Singaporeans to be fully vaccinated before taking the bubble flights to Hong Kong; and
b. what are the reasons for not having this requirement when countries are still battling sudden waves of COVID-19 infection.
Reply by Minister for Transport Ong Ye Kung:
1. An Air Travel Bubble (ATB) is between two safe places that have kept the pandemic under control, so that we can remove the requirement for travellers to undergo quarantine or Stay Home Notices, and rely on repeated testing for COVID-19 instead.
2. The risk of community transmission within Hong Kong is very low. As of 9 May, its 7-day and 28-day mean local incidence rate is 0.01 and 0.02 per 100,000 population respectively. It is hence safe for travellers from Singapore to travel there and back without vaccination.
3. Notwithstanding this, we urge all travellers, regardless of where they go, to be careful and observe safe management measures and good hygiene standards, and get your vaccinations when it is your turn.