SunStar
+ December 30, 2020 ARE we ready? was the question we asked on Jan. 28, 2020. The teeny culprit called the novel coronavirus or 2019 nCov, which took the shape of the ancient morningstar, had already claimed 106 human lives and infected over 4,500 people in Wuhan, China. The National Health Commission of China saw that in the second half of January, the count was portentously leaping from 45 to 4,515. Do the math, and that was roughly 300 transmissions a day and seven people dead daily. Contagion was that dark cloud looming over our heads. That was why we asked, Are we ready?
We asked for an inventory of our local public health care facility, seeing that the surge of cases greatly overwhelmed the epicenter. Again, this was January yet. Instead, we get the flak that we were being alarmist or racist for calling a ban on China flights.
Department of Health (DOH) (MANILA BULLETIN)
“Ang masasabi ko (All I can say is that), 2020 is the most difficult year in the history of the Department. The most difficult…Buong mundo (The whole world) has been brought down to its knees,” said DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III.
“Even the most powerful countries talagang pinaiyak ng (really shed tears because of) COVID-19. Lahat talaga umiyak dito. Sobrang takot, pag-aalangan, sobrang maraming mga unknowns (Everyone really cried. Too much fear, hesitation, too many unknowns),” he added.
Pandemic
The COVID-19 was first detected in Wuhan, China. The World Health Organization (WHO) declared the novel coronavirus as a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” on Jan. 30 after it was also detected in other parts of the world. On March 11, the WHO characterized it as a pandemic.
SunStar
File December 29, 2020 FOREIGN travelers arriving from or transiting through 19 countries, aside from the United Kingdom (UK), will not be allowed to enter the Philippines beginning 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, December 30, 2020.
Filipino citizens with travel history in UK or in any of the 19 countries within 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines will be allowed to enter the country, but will be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine regardless of RT-PCR test results.
The prohibition, which is aimed at blocking the more contagious UK variant of Sars-CoV-2, will last until January 15, 2021. Sars-CoV-2 causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
Malacañang said the prohibition covers UK and the following countries:
President Rodrigo Duterte during a meeting with Cabinet members late night of Dec. 28, 2020. Contributed photo
A memorandum released by Malacañang on Tuesday said that aside from the United Kingdom, the travel ban will cover Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada and Spain.
On Saturday, Duterte extended the travel ban imposed on all flights from the UK for two weeks.
The order will take effect from Dec. 30 to Jan. 15, 2021.
Filipino citizens coming from the countries mentioned can enter the Philippines, but they should undergo a 14-day quarantine period.
SunStar
President Rodrigo Duterte. (AP photo)
+ December 30, 2020 PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved the temporary prohibition of flights from the United Kingdom, and entry of foreign travelers from 18 other countries and one territory from Wednesday, Dec. 30, 2020 to Jan. 15, 2021.
The temporary ban was issued in light of the spread of a new Covid-19 variant in the UK.
Aside from the UK, President Duterte approved the temporary ban on the entry of foreign travelers from Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain and Hong Kong.
Foreign and Filipino passengers who are already in transit from these places and are set to arrive in the country before Dec. 30 will not be prohibited from entering the Philippines.