Brunei's Lockdown: What You Need To Know

As of August 2021, Brunei had been under a partial lockdown for over 11 weeks. The country extended its partial Covid-19 national lockdown measures for two weeks as it reported 122 new cases, bringing the national tally to 1,455. This included 120 local infections and two imported cases. The country introduced strict control measures, including closing religious places, schools switching to online learning, no dine-in for restaurants, and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centres, and cinemas. Most mass gatherings were banned, and all residents were barred from leaving their houses without a valid reason. Brunei's lockdown exit plan involves a three-phase COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan, with the easing of travel restrictions when 70% of the population is fully vaccinated.

Brunei's COVID-19 lockdown exit plan

Brunei has been under a partial lockdown since August 2021, when the country reported a daily spike of over 100 COVID-19 cases. The lockdown was extended for two weeks and included strict control measures such as the closure of religious places, schools switching to online learning, and the banning of most mass gatherings.

In October 2021, the government announced a three-phase COVID-19 pandemic exit plan, aiming to facilitate a safe transition from the pandemic to an endemic situation. The plan consists of the preparation, transition, and endemic phases, with the latter set to take effect when the country reaches an 80% vaccination target.

Preparation Phase

The preparation phase involves the start of the vaccine drive for adolescents aged 12 to 17 and the extension of an 8 pm curfew. During this phase, the government will continue to report daily coronavirus cases.

Transition Phase

The transition phase will see the gradual reopening of borders and the easing of travel restrictions when 70% of the population is fully vaccinated. Inbound and outbound travel to low-risk countries will be allowed for fully vaccinated individuals, and a "green" list will guide travellers on quarantine requirements. Schools, workplaces, business premises, and places of worship will reopen with a cap on the number of people, and social gatherings will be allowed with limited capacity.

Endemic Phase

During the endemic phase, COVID-19 will be treated as a seasonal illness, and quarantine orders will only be issued to a selected group of cases. The government will no longer report daily coronavirus cases, and only the weekly average of confirmed infections will be announced.

The lifting of restrictions will also depend on the state of the healthcare system, and public health control measures such as the mask mandate will still be in place.

COVID-19 restrictions in Brunei

Brunei has had some of the strictest COVID-19 restrictions in the world. The country has been under a partial lockdown since August 2021, when a new wave of infections hit the country. The partial lockdown was extended for two weeks on 21 August 2021, as the country reported 122 new cases, bringing the national tally to 1,455.

The Bruneian government has implemented a range of measures to curb the spread of the virus, including:

• Closing religious places, schools (which switched to online learning), restaurants (with no dine-in option), and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centres, and cinemas.
• Banning most mass gatherings.
• Requiring all non-essential sector workers to work from home.
• Barring residents from leaving their homes without a valid reason.
• Implementing a night curfew.
• Quarantining all positive cases in health facilities.

In addition, Brunei has had strict border controls in place since the pandemic began. Only essential travellers were permitted to enter and leave the country with approval from the Prime Minister's Office. Even then, arrivals had to quarantine for between 2 and 14 days at government-designated facilities, depending on the risk level of the country of departure.

The government announced a three-phase exit plan in October 2021, which would see Brunei loosen its travel restrictions when 70% of the population is fully vaccinated. The plan consists of the preparation, transition, and endemic phases. The latter is set to take effect when the country hits its 80% vaccination target.

Brunei's COVID-19 partial lockdown extension

Bruneis COVID-19 partial lockdown extension

Brunei extended its partial COVID-19 national lockdown measures for two weeks, starting from Saturday, Aug 21, 2021, as the country reported 122 new cases, bringing the national tally to 1,455. The new cases included 120 local infections and two imported cases, according to the Ministry of Health.

The lockdown extension comes as the country faces a new wave of outbreaks and an increasingly challenging pandemic situation. The source of infection of 79 local cases is still under investigation, while 37 local cases have been linked to five active clusters already identified. Four other local cases are related to a new cluster confirmed on Saturday.

The partial lockdown measures include closing religious places, schools switching to online learning, banning dine-in services for restaurants, and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centres, and cinemas. Most mass gatherings have been banned, and all non-essential sector workers are required to work from home. Residents are barred from leaving their houses without a valid reason.

The Brunei government also announced a three-phase COVID-19 pandemic exit plan, which will see the country gradually loosen its travel restrictions when 70% of the population is fully vaccinated. The second phase, or the "transition phase", will allow inbound and outbound travel to and from low-risk countries for fully vaccinated individuals. A "green" list will be created to guide travellers on quarantine requirements. The final phase will take effect when the country reaches its 80% vaccination target.

COVID-19 lockdown fines and penalties in Brunei

As of August 2021, Brunei had been under a partial lockdown for 11 weeks, with a daily spike of over 100 COVID-19 cases. The country introduced strict control measures, including closing religious places, schools switching to online learning, banning dine-in at restaurants, and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centres, and cinemas. Most mass gatherings were banned, and all non-essential sector workers were required to work from home. Residents were also barred from leaving their houses without a valid reason.

Brunei's lockdown measures were extended for two weeks in August 2021, as the country reported 122 new cases, bringing the national tally to 1,455. The source of infection for 79 local cases was under investigation, while 37 local cases were linked to previously identified clusters. The lockdown extension aimed to stabilise the situation and curb the spread of the virus.

Brunei's government announced a three-phase COVID-19 pandemic exit plan in 2021, intending to gradually ease restrictions when 70% of the population is fully vaccinated. The plan consists of preparation, transition, and endemic phases, with the latter set to take effect at 80% vaccination coverage. The exit strategy aims to facilitate a safe transition from the pandemic to endemic conditions, minimising disruptions to daily life.

During the transition phase, inbound and outbound travel to low-risk countries will be permitted for fully vaccinated individuals, with a "green" list guiding travellers on quarantine requirements. Additionally, schools, workplaces, businesses, and places of worship will reopen with capacity limits, and social gatherings will be allowed with restricted numbers.

While Brunei has not specified fines and penalties for violating COVID-19 lockdown measures, the country has implemented strict control measures and travel restrictions. Violators of health protocols and border restrictions may face consequences, but the details of these penalties are not publicly available.

COVID-19 lockdown impact on tourism in Brunei

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on the tourism industry in Brunei, with the country imposing strict lockdown measures and travel restrictions to curb the spread of the virus.

Brunei imposed a partial lockdown in August 2021, which was extended multiple times due to a spike in cases. The lockdown measures included closing religious places, switching schools to online learning, banning dine-in services at restaurants, and closing indoor and outdoor sports facilities, leisure centers, and cinemas. These measures had a direct impact on the tourism industry, as they restricted the movement of people and limited their ability to engage in tourist activities.

Brunei also implemented a travel ban, allowing only essential travelers to enter and exit the country with special approval from the Prime Minister's Office. This had a significant impact on inbound and outbound tourism, as most foreign nationals were banned from entering or transiting through Brunei. Even those who were allowed to enter faced quarantine requirements and needed to test negative for COVID-19 before and upon arrival.

The impact of the lockdown and travel restrictions on the tourism industry in Brunei was substantial. With tourism being a crucial source of revenue and foreign exchange for the country, the restrictions resulted in a significant decline in tourist arrivals and spending. This, in turn, affected businesses and employment in the tourism and hospitality sectors, including hotels, restaurants, and transportation services.

The COVID-19 lockdown and travel restrictions also disrupted the social dynamics and behavior of tourists. People became more cautious and prioritized safety and hygiene when making travel decisions. This shift in consumer behavior further impacted the tourism industry, as businesses had to adapt to new norms and implement enhanced hygiene and safety measures to regain the trust and confidence of travelers.

As Brunei moves towards easing restrictions and recovering from the pandemic, the government has unveiled a three-phase exit plan. The plan includes gradually reopening borders and allowing inbound and outbound travel to low-risk countries for fully vaccinated individuals. However, the full recovery of the tourism industry in Brunei will take time, and it is likely that the sector will continue to face challenges until international travel demand returns to pre-pandemic levels.

Frequently asked questions