Reviewing Need for SG Arrival Card for Returning Singaporeans and Residents
Ministry of HealthSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns the necessity of the SG Arrival Card for returning Singaporeans and residents as raised by Mr Liang Eng Hwa. Minister for Health Mr Ong Ye Kung stated that the digital health declaration is a permanent measure for disease control against threats like Yellow Fever and MERS. He explained that the system captures dynamic data on recent travel history and symptoms not found in other government databases. The Minister highlighted that all travelers must now submit declarations because the risk of infectious diseases applies to everyone regardless of nationality. He concluded that the SG Arrival Card is necessary to prevent these endemic diseases from becoming established in Singapore.
Transcript
1 Mr Liang Eng Hwa asked the Minister for Health (a) whether the Ministry will review the need for SG Arrival Card for returning Singaporeans and residents; (b) whether the information obtained from the health declaration are significant to support public health surveillance efforts; and (c) whether such information can already be obtained from data captured in the immigration and other Government systems.
The Minister for Health (Mr Ong Ye Kung): Mr Speaker, the Member asked me a supplementary question on this topic during my Ministerial Statement at the last Sitting. I do not think I gave a full nor clear answer, so, I thank him for the opportunity to answer this now.
In the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry of Health (MOH) reviewed our need for data collection at the borders and we decided to implement the digital SG Arrival Card system for purposes of disease control. Specifically, we want to guard against importing infectious diseases of concern, such as Yellow Fever, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Ebola.
The SG Arrival Card system resulted in a few changes from past practices. First, previously, only foreigners are required to submit health information on a physical card. Now, all travellers are required to submit a health declaration because all travellers are subject to the risk of infectious diseases – not just the foreign travellers.
Second, the mode of submission was digitalised – and I hope, became more convenient.
Third, the information required has been streamlined and simplified to only three questions to ascertain the risk of a traveller being infected with the current diseases of concern.
Specifically – if I may elaborate – one question was targeted at Yellow Fever transmission. Travellers at risk of Yellow Fever infection and do not have a valid relevant vaccination certificate are assessed and may be quarantined to protect against the risk of importation of Yellow Fever in Singapore. This is a serious matter for Singapore because the Aedes aegypti mosquito vector that spreads Yellow Fever is present in Singapore.
Another question is targeted at MERS-Coronavirus and Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers. Travelers suspected of being infected can be referred for further medical assessment and isolation if necessary.
These are dynamic information, based on their recent travel history and how they feel, and therefore, not captured in existing Government systems.
Mr Speaker: Mr Liang.
Mr Liang Eng Hwa (Bukit Panjang): Sir, I thank the Minister for the further clarification. Just two quick questions. Firstly, does the Minister envisages this to be a permanent feature, this SG Arrival Card? And secondly, even if we were to stand down this procedure, does the Ministry see the readiness to re-activate this expeditiously, to be there? Meaning, if we were to stand down and then we need to re-activate it again, can the Ministry do it in a very expeditious way?
Mr Ong Ye Kung: Thank you. The two questions are related. We reviewed this and we deemed this as a permanent feature. Of course, all features are reviewed from time to time. Yellow Fever, MERS – they have all become endemic diseases in their parts of the world. We do not want them to become endemic diseases in our part of the world, which therefore means that this is quite a permanent feature, that as of now, we feel is necessary, to prevent such diseases from coming into Singapore.