Singapore’s move to resume essential business and official travel with China is a well-considered attempt to balance the prevention of imported Covid-19 cases with the resumption of economic exchanges between the two countries (“Singapore to gradually reopen borders from June 8, starting with ‘fast lane’ arrangements with China”; June 3).

The Singapore-China "fast lane" agreement will enable travellers from both sides to enter each other’s countries without being quarantined for up to 14 days.

Travellers from China must take a Covid-19 polymerase chain reaction swab test 48 hours before departure and another swab test after they land in Singapore. 

They have to produce evidence of a negative result for the test done in China and must also stay in isolation at a self-sourced declared accommodation on arrival in Singapore for one or two days until the result of the Singapore test is known.

While these precautions are reassuring, what worries me is if the authorities will ensure the quality of these swab tests.

Given that the accuracy of some test kits from China had previously been called into question, it would be prudent for both countries to agree on a range of test kit brands permissible for use and a list of medical institutions certified to conduct these tests. Singapore already provides a list of clinics that can perform pre-departure swab tests. 

The permissible brands should be those subject to rigorous clinical trials, and the medical institutions should be those with a demonstrated record of reliability.

The last thing we want is for the "fast lane" arrangement to unintentionally compromise safety. 

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