Covid-19 crisis Remove Stay Home Notice for incoming travelers
I suggest that the Stay Home Notice can be removed for incoming travelers who have been vaccinated and are tested negative on arrival.

Here are my reasons.

1.  As they are tested negative, they do not have the virus. I understand that the test will be able to detect up to 85% of the postive cases, including the asymptomatic cases.

2.  Although there is the risk that 15% of the positive cases may be undetected, they are likely to be mild on vaccinated people. This is shown in many clinical studies. It is probably the case in real life.

3. Singapore has already achieved over 70% vaccination rate (and the rate is higher for the older people). Even if there is a spread of the virus, the harm is likely to be low. This is reflected in the small number of patients who are critically ill.

4. By removing the Stay Home Notice, we will encourage incoming travelers. This is vital for our tourism and hotel business and for Changi Airport and Singapore Airlines.

There will be an increase in risk of the transmission of the virus when the Stay Home Notice is removed. This means that more people will be infected and it will lead to more hospitalization. 

However, I expect the increase to be manageable and the harm to be limited. 

If we continue the Stay Home Notice, the benefit from the opening of the economy will remain small.

We have to outweigh the harm from higher infection against the benefit of opening the economy to restore the livelihood of many people who are badly affected by the restrictive measures.

We cannot continue to be excessively cautious, especially as we have already achieved a higher vaccination rate than most other countries.

We have to treat covid as endemic and return to normal life.

Tan Kin Lian
 

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