Singapore Will Turn Away Unvaccinated Travelers

Travelers to Singapore may soon be sent home if they don’t come with the proper vaccinations.

The country takes this extreme move in an attempt to eliminate foreign-born, infectious diseases from entering its borders. The densely populated country of 5.6 million people sees 17.4 million visitors annually, so an outbreak could spread quickly — as happened in 2003, when a Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome outbreak hit the area.

Right now, foreign visitors are required to have a yellow fever vaccination, in line with international health recommendations. But Singapore could add more vaccination requirements as new outbreaks crop up.

Currently, visitors who haven’t been vaccinated can enter the country, but must agree to get the vaccine when they arrive. And they can be subject to isolation or surveillance.

New laws could give the country the power to force people to leave the country if they arrive without the required vaccinations, though. It’s all in an effort to contain quickly spreading diseases like avian flu, Ebola and more. The SARS outbreak killed 33 people in Singapore.