Earlier this week, Singapore's health ministry said that it's proposing to change the country's vaccination laws involving foreign travellers. If you're a frequent traveller to Singapore or are planning to visit the city anytime soon, you're probably thinking, "Am I affected?"
Credit: giphy
Well, to save you the trouble of reading through all the different information online and help you understand the situation better, here are 3 essential things you must know if you're visiting Singapore ?
1. What might change?
If the new law is approved, foreign travellers may be barred from entering Singapore if they aren't vaccinated from a disease which is on the ministry's list. And you might not even be offered vaccination, isolation or surveillance! This is a change from the current situation where only those who refuse to comply will be sent back.
Credit: Caroline M.A Otieno on Flickr
But that said, this doesn't mean that travellers who are unwell will be sent back. If need be, they'll still be treated here.
2. What diseases are on the list?
Right now, yellow fever is the only disease which travellers must be vaccinated against and only citizens from countries with risk of the disease are required to be vaccinated. Yellow fever is a mosquito-borne disease common in Africa and Latin America and it can be deadly. Did you know that it's transmitted by the same mosquito which causes dengue, Zika and chikungunya? ?
Whether or not more diseases will be added to the list is still not confirmed, so it's best to keep a look out for any updates!
3. What you should do?
Always thoroughly check Singapore's health ministry website to see if there are any updates to the list and if you need to get vaccinated, do take the necessary precautions. If you're not planning on getting vaccinated, ensure that the affected disease is not on the health ministry's list.
Credit: dronepicr on Flickr
The last thing you'd want is to be barred from entering Singapore after going through all the hassle of travelling and you'd end up wasting your money too! Plus, a vaccination in Singapore might cost you hundreds so it might be well cheaper in your home country. So, when in doubt, always keep yourselves updated and check thoroughly before you plan your trip ?