(UPDATED) The Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has reduced the facility-based quarantine requirement to seven days for returning Filipinos who had been fully vaccinated in the Philippines.
After seven days, the traveler is discharged and required to do self-monitoring.
If the traveler develops symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) within the seven-day period, he or she will be swabbed and tested for Sars-CoV-2, and will be required to remain in facility-based quarantine for 10 days, or will be referred to a hospital.
This new policy is contained in Resolution No. 119, which was issued by the IATF on June 3. This does not apply to Filipinos and foreigners who have been fully vaccinated in other countries prior to their visit in the Philippines.
The resolution defines a fully vaccinated person as having received the second dose of a two-dose regimen or a single-dose vaccine against Covid-19 at least two weeks prior to arrival.
The vaccines used must be covered by an emergency use authorization (EUA) or a compassionate special permit issued by the Philippines’ Food and Drug Administration.
The fully vaccinated Filipino must present his or her vaccination card, which must have been verified prior to departure, to the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) representative for re-verification at the Department of Transportation One-Stop-Shop upon arrival.
The same resolution also directed the Department of Health, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Economic and Development Authority to provide recommendations for further relaxing testing and quarantine protocols for certain classes of travelers.
The IATF resolution further exempted from entry restrictions those Filipino passengers who are involved in non-government repatriation efforts in India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
They must, however, present to the BOQ a negative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result, with the test taken within 48 hours prior to boarding the aircraft or vessel.
There must also be prior BOQ approval for the entry of the flight or vessel carrying the Filipino repatriates.
The concerned local manning agency in the case of seafarers, the Philippine recruitment agency for land-based workers, or the sponsoring Philippine government agency must submit the request for exemption.
All repatriates from countries that are subject to entry restrictions are required to undergo strict facility-based quarantine for 14 days. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)