The inter- agency task force for managing emerging infectious diseases (IATF) was asked to temporarily ban flights and entry of all passengers—including overseas Filipino workers—from Hongkong and Israel where the new variant, more contagious than the Delta has spread.
ALARMED by the viciousness of a new Covid-19 variant mutation, Rep. Angelica Natasha Co of BHW partylist has urged the inter- agency task force (IATF) to include Israel and Hongkong in its border controls.
This, after reports indicated that the fast spreading variant has already reached the said countries.
Health experts said that the new variant is 500 times more contagious than the dreaded Delta variant.
“Please, IATF and the airlines, act fast to stop the spread of the latest highly-infectious variant which has spread from Southern Africa to Israel and Hong Kong. The new variant is said to be 500 times more infectious than the Delta variant.”
If the IATF fails all of us, then it is up to the airlines, governors, and mayors to protect the Filipino people with the right border controls against the new variant.
She said the temporary travel ban and quarantines must cover all flights, all passengers, and all crew not just from Southern Africa, but also from Israel, and HK—no exceptions not even for returning Filipinos whether OFWs, balikbayans, and travelers for business and tourism.
All current variants were able to enter the Philippines because of our defective and poor border controls because we allow returning Filipinos to pass through our border controls, she added.
Given the transmissibility of this new coronavirus variant, all current border controls would be ineffective.
I am aware that the Philippine government just imposed a travel ban covering South Africa and Botswana which is effective 'immediately' while the rules for travelers from Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique will start on November 28.
This is not enough because the new variant has already spread to HongKong and Israel.
Please, we must do this right, for once, she pleaded.
Tags: #IATF, #bordercontrols, #HongkongandIsrael, #OFWsandtourists, #COVID19