At the start of the year, when vaccines were in short supply, only certain groups of residents could get jabbed.
In the meantime, the rest of us had to wait patiently for our turn.
Fast forward eight months and it’s an entirely different story; 81% of our population has been fully vaccinated and 83% have received at least one dose – one of the highest vaccination rates in the world.
Since our vaccination progress has seemingly plateaued, we can now offer the vaccines to more groups of people.
This time, the good news is for citizens who live abroad.
Overseas-based Citizens Able to Receive 1st Dose of COVID-19 Vaccination Upon Arrival to S’pore
If you’re a Singaporean citizen who lives outside the country and can’t get a vaccine for any reason, you can now do so upon your arrival in Singapore.
The unexpected announcement came from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) and Ministry of Health (MOH) yesterday (11 Sep).
Citizens based abroad will now be able to return to Singapore to receive their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine through one of two new vaccination channels.
In-transit
In the first channel, citizens can receive their first dose of the vaccine in transit. Under this channel, citizens can fly into Changi Airport, get jabbed, and return to their home country on the next available flight or ferry.
They can then return to Singapore at a later date for their second dose. This means that they won’t have to serve a full stay-home notice (SHN) upon their arrival here.
They will, of course, be subject to prevailing border measures until their departure.
Staying In The Country For For Both Doses
Those who opt for the second channel can receive the first dose upon arrival here and will then have to complete a full stay-home notice at a dedicated facility.
They can then receive the second dose at the appropriate time, depending on the dosing interval for the vaccine.
Do note that those opting for this channel will be subject to the prevailing border measures as well, such as a test before departure and on arrival.
Regardless of which country you’re coming from, you’ll be required to stay at an appointed dedicated facility where the vaccination will be offered on-site, during your SHN.
Returning Citizen Will Have to Bear the Cost of Travel & Accommodation
The authorities said the vaccine will be provided by the government but returning citizens will have to bear the costs of travel, accommodation at the designated facility, and swab tests.
Do ensure that you get the necessary re-entry approvals and return flight tickets so you’ll be permitted to return to your country of residence after the vaccination.
Those interested in these two channels can register here.
Understand the importance of vaccination here:
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Featured Image: Facebook (Ong Ye Kung)
