Quarantine back in Effect for even the Fully-Vaccinated
It’s back to “square one” for even fully-vaccinated travelers coming to the Philippines. While the archipelago was going to open up to fully-vaccinated visitors from “green” and “yellow” list countries effective this past December 1, the much-hyped “Omicron” threat has changed all that.
Effective December 3, 2021, the IATF has some new rules in place for travelers. The IATF is the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID.)
The Task Force has approved new testing and quarantine protocols for arriving international passengers. Visitors from countries, territories, and jurisdictions in the “green” and “yellow” list now face quarantine restrictions again.
The green list is composed of countries, territories, and jurisdictions with low risk of Covid-19 infection. The yellow list is composed of destinations with moderate risk of Covid-19 infection.
Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles laid out the new rules.
- “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,” 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.
This is the current “Red List.” As a result of the Omicron threat, the Philippine government is planning to add more countries to the “red list.” That’s according to Health Undersecretary Rosario Vergeire.
The pandemic situation in the Philippines is fluid. Restrictions can be implemented and then changed in a matter of moments.
Graphics courtesy of the Philippine Bureau of Immigration Facebook page
Reporting from the Philippine News Agency provided the bulk of information for this post.
Lead graphic courtesy of geralt @ pixabay