Singapore is expected to open to tourism in September

 Singapore is expected to open to tourism in September

Singapore is expected to complete vaccination of 80% of the population by September, setting the stage for the lifting of quarantine for vaccinated travelers after about a year of border closure.

Changi Airport, Singapore. Source: Reuters

The Singapore government today (July 26) said that about 54% of the country's population is fully vaccinated, this number will increase to about 66% by National Day 9/8 and towards the target of 80% by the end of the year. September. Nearly 75% of Singapore's population has received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine, mainly Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

Higher vaccination rates will allow Singapore to ease quarantine measures, including allowing mass gatherings with fully vaccinated people. The country can also reopen its borders and establish tourism corridors with countries and territories that have well controlled the Covid-19 epidemic.

According to Singapore's Finance Minister Lawrence Wong, once the planned immunization levels are reached, fully vaccinated people can travel without a mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine upon return. Depending on the epidemic level of the place visited, the isolation requirement may be replaced by testing or shortening the 7-day home isolation period. Visitors who have not been vaccinated can also travel, but will still be subject to quarantine upon return.

The Singapore government is also set to consider easing restrictions in early August, when two-thirds of the population is fully vaccinated. “The easing will be differentiated and extended to those who have been vaccinated, as they are better protected against the impact of the virus,” said Minister Lawrence Wong. If you want to go out for dinner in a restaurant or work out in the gym, you have to be fully vaccinated.”

Minister Wong's speech immediately helped tourism and aviation stocks grow strongly, such as SIA (Singapore Airlines) or SATS (Singapore Changi Airport Ground Services Company) even if only The Straits Times Index had a falling session.