Mode of Transport for Travellers Arriving into Singapore without COVID-19 Polymerase Chain Reaction Results

Mr Speaker, all travellers from high-risk places are required to take dedicated transport to their assigned facility to serve their Stay-Home Notice (SHN) while waiting for the results. To minimise the risk of cross-infection and community spread, strict public health protocols are applied.

First, these private charter buses only ferry travellers from the checkpoints to the SHN facility. No other passengers are allowed to board. After every trip, the buses are thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Second, the bus drivers are trained to don the appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) including an N95 face mask, PPE gown and gloves. They are also fully vaccinated and subject to regular routine COVID-19 testing.

Third, strict safe distancing measures are imposed. Travellers are not allowed to sit near the driver and they only occupy the rear section of the vehicle. I have, in fact, seen this first hand, so they are all seated to the rear of the vehicle and the front half creates a buffer zone with respect to the driver. The number of travellers allowed on each bus is also limited to less than half its total capacity to ensure adequate safe distancing between travellers.

These measures are part of a multi-layered approach we take to protect our borders and frontline transport workers. In addition, all travellers from high-risk countries would need to have a negative Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test taken not more than 72 hours before boarding a plane, ferry or vehicle bound for Singapore.

With the evolving nature of the virus, we regularly review the full suite of public health measures for international travellers and also to protect our frontline workers.

Sir, I would like to seek some clarifications from the Minister. I understand that there are private charter buses. But since the start of this year, have there been any incoming passengers who do not take these private charter buses but instead take taxis or private hire cars to their homes or SHN facilities?

My second question is: have any taxi drivers or private hire drivers caught COVID-19 while ferrying incoming passengers from the airport to the SHN facilities or homes?

Mr Speaker, can passengers take taxis or private vehicles to their homes? As I said, the protocols that we have in place are for the higher risk countries. So, those who are from, say, some of the countries deemed to be less risky, they still, on arrival, have to undertake what we call an on-arrival PCR test. And then thereafter, they can take the relevant form of transport to their home and then they have to wait for the results and so on. So, there may be instances of that which the Member may be referring to.

But the key point I would make is that for those who are from the higher risk countries, based on the categorisation we discussed earlier, the approach is to have dedicated transport from the airport to the SHN facility, so that the mode of transport is as secure as possible from a health perspective.

Have taxi drivers caught COVID-19? I believe there have been some cases but is it because of the passenger they ferried or not, I do not have an answer for that. I am quite happy to have it verified if the Member wishes to file a question. But I do know that in many cases, it is more because of some other community link that they have, because of a place they went to in the community and so on, and that is how they were linked to the COVID-19 virus.