PH places 44 countries in green list, 2 in red
THE Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has placed at least 44 countries in the world under the “Green” list category, while two others have remained under “Red” list for November 16 to 30, 2021.
Green has been used for countries that are low risk to coronavirus disease (Covid-19), while Red is for those classified as high risk. Yellow means moderate risk.
Included in the Green list are American Samoa, Bhutan, Chad, China (Mainland), Comoros, Cote d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Federated States of Micronesia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), India, Indonesia, Japan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malawi, Mali, Marshall Islands, Montserrat, Morocco, Namibia, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Oman, Pakistan, Palau, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, South Africa, Sudan, Taiwan, Togo, Uganda, United Arab Emirates, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Faroe Islands and The Netherlands are the two areas that are currently in the Red list, while the rest of the countries, territories, and jurisdictions not mentioned are under Yellow list.
Fully-vaccinated travelers entering the Philippines from areas under the green list no longer need to undergo a facility-based quarantine upon their arrival provided that they yield negative RT-PCR test results taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.
They also have the option to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test result taken in the quarantine facility upon arrival in the country or not to undergo quarantine, so long as they get a negative RT-PCR test result within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals, as well as those with unverified vaccination status and those who failed to comply with the “test-before-travel requirements” need to undergo a facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test taken on their fifth day in the country.
For fully-vaccinated passengers departing from countries under Yellow list, they need to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test result taken on their fifth day in the Philippines.
Unvaccinated or partially vaccinated will have to undergo RT-PCR testing on the seventh day of a facility-based quarantine.
Inbound passengers from Red countries will be denied entry in the Philippines if they stayed there 14 days prior to their arrival to the Philippines unless they were Filipino citizens who will be subject to testing and quarantine protocols.
Returning Filipinos are required to spend their first 10 days in a quarantine facility and the last four days at home. They also have to undergo RT-PCR testing on their seventh day.
Travelers transiting through the countries under Red list with proof they only stayed in the airport will not be considered as coming from a red country.
Meanwhile, the IATF also approved to honor the national Covid-19 vaccination certificates of individuals from Australia, Czech Republic, Georgia, India, Japan, The Netherlands, United Kingdom, Turkey, and Samoa as recommended by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA).
“The said recommendation is in addition to such other countries/territories/jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination the IATF already approved for recognition in the Philippines, and without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by IATF for all inbound travelers,” said Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque.
“Accordingly, the Bureau of Quarantine, the Department of Transportation-One-Stop-Shop, and the Bureau of Immigration are directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF,” he added. (SunStar Philippines)