Travel bubble trouble: Hong Kong, Singapore talks hobbled by disagreements over coronavirus antibody tests, vaccination rules
- Spikes in virus cases twice delayed much-awaited travel corridor but recent hold-up is over stumbling blocks such as inoculation rules
- Plan by Hong Kong to impose antibody tests on inbound travellers from Singapore is one of the obstacles
Under the bubble, travellers from both cities would need to be fully inoculated, but the two governments have not agreed on vaccination rules.
Another obstacle was a plan by Hong Kong to impose antibody tests on inbound travellers, one source revealed. The Hong Kong government attempted to partially align the bubble with a recent initiative to tie antibody levels to shorter mandatory quarantine periods for all incoming visitors.
Spikes in coronavirus cases twice delayed the much-awaited travel corridor, in November last year and then in May, but the recent hold-up is over the stumbling blocks.
“There are some sticking points,” the source said. “For example, the Singapore public regards the antibody test as intravenous and are less receptive to it.”
Both sides agreed to give it their best shot to ensure the travel bubble took off. But an insider said there were no plans for an announcement yet.
