Published January 6, 2021, 11:04 AM
Foreign diplomats and dignitaries will be exempted from entry restrictions imposed on travelers from countries with the new coronavirus variant based on the latest decision of the government pandemic task force.
A security officer (L) walks past empty check-in counters at the airport in Manila on August 4, 2020 (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
These foreign visitors, however, must still undergo testing and quarantine protocols upon arrival in the country, according to Resolution No. 92 issued by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
The government had earlier prohibited the entry of all foreign travelers coming from 21 countries/jurisdictions affected by the new COVID-19 strain until Jan. 15.
IATF forms panel of experts to monitor coronavirus variants By VIRGIL LOPEZ, GMA News
Published January 6, 2021 11:05am
Updated January 6, 2021 11:14am The Philippines’ COVID-19 task force has created a panel of experts that will monitor and identify the occurrence of new coronavirus variants in the country. Headed by Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire, the technical working group is also mandated to provide policy recommendations to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) on the appropriate response regarding these variants. The other members of the panel are the following: Executive Director Jaime Montoya of the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (co-chairperson)
Department of Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Department of Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire has been named as head of a group of experts tasked to study new COVID-19 variants and suggest policies to the country s coronavirus task force.
In a statement, Malacañang said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Tuesday created the Technical Working Group (TWG) on COVID-19 Variants upon the order of President Rodrigo Duterte. This Technical Working Group will monitor and identify the occurrence of new variants of COVID-19 in the country and will provide policy recommendations to the IATF on the appropriate response regarding these variants, the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson said.
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:
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.