09 Apr 2020
Dear fellow Singaporeans,
We hope you are keeping well as the COVID-19 situation continues to evolve rapidly, within the US, Singapore and globally. Many of you have connected with the Singapore Consulate in New York and Singapore Global Network (SGN) and have also given support to fellow Singaporeans in this challenging time. Some of you have generously offered in-kind donations or asked how you can support Singapore in this crisis. The Singapore Government has put together a Singapore Together Initiative, where you may find different ways to contribute to the efforts of government agencies, charities and organisations.
2 Latest Developments in Singapore. To break the COVID-19 chain of transmission, Singapore has implemented ‘circuit breaker’ measures from 7 April to 4 May 2020. Non-essential workplaces and schools are closed. Details are in the Singapore Ministry of Health’s (MOH) press release on the circuit-breaker to minimise further spread of COVID-19 and PM Lee Hsien Loong’s remarks delivered on 3 April 2020.
3 Returning to Singapore. For those considering flight options to return to Singapore, SIA has non-stop flights from Los Angeles to Singapore three times a week for the month of April. If you are unable to book your flight on SIA’s website, you can reach out via a dedicated email address for Singaporeans at usasin_students@singaporeair.com.sg with details (passenger name, ticket number and local contact number) and SIA representatives will contact you as soon as possible. Other commercial carriers are still operating flights from the US to Singapore, involving one or more transit stops. As many countries have implemented stricter border controls at short notice and commercial flights and routes have been disrupted as a result, please remember to check with these airlines whether the flights are affected and if connecting stops allow transits.
4 All Singapore citizens, Permanent Residents and Long Term Pass holders entering Singapore from 9 April 2020, 2359 hrs are required to serve a 14-day self-isolation at dedicated Stay-Home Notice (SHN) facilities regardless of the country/region they are returning from. If there are unexpected capacity constraints, the dedicated SHN facilities may be prioritised for returnees from certain regions or countries, based on risk assessment. More details can be found in MOH’s press release. Should you wish to appeal for your dependants who are not eligible for entry into Singapore during this period, please submit your application to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).
5 Singaporeans in the US. For those of you remaining in the US, please continue to closely monitor the developments around you. Many states, counties and cities have enforced different forms of directives for residents to stay at home. This requires adjustments to your daily life, so as to avoid being exposed to the virus. You may wish to refer to the Frequently-Asked Questions section of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website for the adjustments based on your needs. You may also wish to check your US visas, ESTAs and I-94 records to ensure you are authorised to remain in the US until your scheduled departure date.
6 We note that many of you may have picked up your long-forgotten or new hobbies, such as working with handicrafts. There are a variety of YouTube videos with instructions on how to sew facemasks. Make one for yourself or make a difference to your community by contributing them to your local healthcare workers.
7 The Singapore Consulate staff can be contacted at singcon_nyc@mfa.sg or any of the following numbers: 347 598 1581, 347 598 1682, 347 598 1931 or 917 293 4540.
8 Please practice safe distancing and stay connected to your families and friends.
Regards,
Jasmin
Consul