BANGKOK, 17 March 2020: Countries in Asia are tightening travel restrictions and health measures as the COVID-19 sweeps across Europe.
Singapore
Singapore introduced self-quarantine, 16 March as a mandatory measure for all travellers who visited or transited through Japan, Switzerland or the UK within 14 days.
The same self-quarantine measure also applies to travellers from the ASEAN region and includes both residents and those who transited through any of the member states, within 14 days of their arrival in Singapore.
The rule will not apply to Singaporeans and Malaysians using sea and land crossings, according to a CNA report that quoted Singapore’s National Development Minister, Lawrence Wong, saying that separate arrangements were being worked out by a bilateral joint working group.
ASEAN member states are Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
Malaysia
Malaysia has added Denmark, 16 March, to its travel ban list after the European nation went into lock-down at the weekend. Other countries on the list include Italy, Iran, South Korea, China ( limited to Hubei, Zhejiang and Jiangsu and Japan limited to Hokkaido.
Thailand
Thailand has various requirements depending on the zones declared by the Ministry of Public Health
Mandatory quarantine is required of all travellers from ‘Disease Infected Zones” mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, South Korea, Italy and Iran. Residents can quarantine at home while foreigners are assigned a room in a specified hotel in Bangkok.
Travellers from countries with “ongoing local transmissions” Japan, France, Spain, Switzerland, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, the UK and the USA are under light observation, not quarantine, at home or the hotel they booked.
They self-monitor for 14 days. It involves logging their symptoms through the app AOT Airports, or on paper and listing places visited during the observation period.
Hong Kong
Hong Kong will introduce quarantine requirements 19 March to include travellers who have visited the US, UK and Ireland arrivals within 14 days.
The rule includes Hong Kong residents, who have transited through the US, UK or Ireland within the last 14 days. They will have to quarantine in their homes. Travellers who are not residents of Hong Kong will be assigned a quarantine address.
Macau
Macau extends entry restrictions for travellers effective today, 17 March.
A 14-day quarantine applies for travellers who have transited through the UK, the US, Canada, Brazil, Egypt, Australia, New Zealand and Europe’s Schengen Area that represents 26 nations. Macau residents can quarantine at their homes while foreign nationals are assigned accommodation at Pousada Marina Infante Hotel at their own expense.
China
China introduced a 14-day quarantine for all travellers arriving in Beijing yesterday 16 March.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka extended its travel ban, 16 March to include the UK. It adds the UK to a list announced earlier that bans travel from South Korea, Italy, Iran, France, Spain, Germany, Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and Austria.
Flights to China have not resumed, and cruise ships are barred from docking at Sri Lankan ports.
