Air Travel Airlines should tell passengers their destination country's policy on swab test timing
People travelling overseas require an accredited and notarised copy of a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result before boarding their planes.

With the exception of China, which needs the PCR test to be done within 48 hours of departure, as far as doctors know, all other countries need the test done within 72 hours.

Apparently, some countries have new criteria for the PCR tests to be performed within 72 hours of arrival in the country, and not within 72 hours of departure from Singapore.

One of my patients, who was flying to Germany, was turned away at Changi Airport and had to rebook.

Doctors have not been officially informed of this. If different countries are adopting varying standards, it is impossible for us to be constantly up to date on them.

Airlines should make it clear to travellers when they are buying their tickets what their destination country's policy is, and the earliest time that the PCR swab can be done here to be accepted.

There needs to be urgent clarification on these matters.

Yik Keng Yeong (Dr)

Source: https://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/forum/forum-airlines-should-tell-passengers-their-destination-countrys-policy-on-swab-test

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