DOH: Safeguards in place despite lifting of travel ban
THE Department of Health (DOH) yesterday assured that border control measures are in place, in defense of the government’s decision to lift the restrictions for people traveling from 10 countries.
The travel restrictions on India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia, and Indonesia were lifted Monday after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the COVID-19 task force over the weekend.
DOH Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the COVID-19 situation has improved in countries previously covered by the travel ban such as India, Indonesia, and Malaysia, adding that these countries have been placed on the “Yellow list” for having moderate risk for the disease.
“Pero hindi naman po natin kailangan mag-alala dahil may mga safeguards po tayo. Hindi man natin i-restrict ang isang bansa mayroon po tayong strict border control kung saan lahat po ng dumadating na travelers ay nirerequire nating mag quarantine. Wala po tayong exemption,” she said.
Inbound travelers from areas on the “Yellow list,” regardless of their vaccination status, shall undergo 14-day quarantine upon arrival, with the first 10 days at a quarantine facility and the remaining four days under home quarantine.
They will also have RT-PCR testing on the seventh day, counting the day of their arrival as Day 1.
Meanwhile, Health Undersecretary and treatment czar Leopoldo Vega also defended the move, adding that the Bureau of Quarantine imposes strict quarantine measures for incoming travelers.
“Ang travel ban lifted iyan kasi ang BOQ pinaghihigpitan ang isolation and testing before ma-release ‘yung passenger coming from abroad. So importante na hindi sila makakalusot sa BOQ na kung puwede na kapag dumating sila, ma-quarantine kaagad, ma-test for a number of days bago i-release sa LGUs (local government units),” he said.
