With threats posed by Omicron, the IATF has imposed new quarantine rules for arriving passengers from non-red list countries.
AS part of precautions against the new Omicron variant of Covid-19, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) has approved new testing and quarantine protocols for arriving international passengers from countries, territories, and jurisdictions in the “green” and “yellow” list effective December 3.
The green list is composed of countries, territories, and jurisdictions with low risk of Covid-19 infection while yellow list is composed of destinations with moderate risk of Covid-19 infection.
Tests, quarantine
“For fully vaccinated individuals, they shall be required to have a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin,” Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a press statement.
“Upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test taken on the 5th day, with the date of arrival being the first day,” he added.
Regardless of a negative result, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine up to the 14th day from the date of arrival.
“Individuals who are unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated shall be required a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin,” Nograles said.
Upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test done on the 7th day, with the date of arrival being the first day.
Regardless of a negative result, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine up to the 14th day from the date of arrival.
The Department of Transportation (DOTr) must ensure that airlines board only passengers who comply with the negative RT-PCR test-before-travel requirement.
On the other hand, testing and quarantine protocols of minors shall follow the testing and quarantine protocol of the parent/guardian traveling with them, regardless of the minor’s vaccination status and country of origin.
International passengers who have already arrived and are currently undergoing quarantine shall continue with the testing and quarantine protocols in place at the time of their arrival.
Filipinos from “red” (high-risk) list countries, territories, and jurisdictions allowed entry via government-initiated or non-government repatriations, and Bayanihan Flights shall only be allowed to deplane via the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) and/or Clark International Airport.
The Philippines has earlier banned flights to and from countries with confirmed cases of the Omicron variant from November 28 to December 15.
These countries include South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, Mozambique, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, and Italy into the country is prohibited.
(With report from PNA)
Tags: #Covid19, #Omicronvariant, #travelrestrictions, #healthprotocols, #IATF