PH extends ban on 7 countries, eases rules for fully vaxxed travelers from ‘green’ countries

THE Philippines has extended travel restrictions on travelers coming from India, Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, United Arab Emirates and Oman until July 15, 2021 as a preventive measure against the Delta variant of the virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).
No ban has been imposed on Indonesia, where infections have soared to new highs.
Beginning July 1, the arrival protocol for fully vaccinated travelers will also apply to travelers who were fully vaccinated in green countries, or low-risk countries to be identified by the Department of Health.
Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr., in his regular press briefing on Tuesday, June 29, said the travel ban on the seven countries is a proactive measure to implement border control against the Delta variant.
The Delta variant of Sars-CoV-2, or B.1.617.2, emerged in India and has not spread to at least 85 countries. The World Health Organization describes it as the most transmissible form of the virus.
Roque also said that although there is no ban on travelers from Indonesia, the government will tighten border control. He noted that foreigners are still not allowed entry into the country, except those with long-term visas.
Meanwhile, inbound travelers vaccinated in the Philippines should have their vaccination cards certified prior to departure through the Certificate of Vaccination Record Portal of the Department of Information and Communications Technology or the City Health Officer of the local government unit where they were vaccinated.
For those who were fully vaccinated outside the Philippines, they must present to Philippine airport authorities upon arrival their official documentation of full vaccination validated through Philippine Overseas Labor Office or present their international certificate of vaccination.
A person is considered fully vaccinated after receiving two doses of a two-dose vaccine against Covid-19.
Fully vaccinated international travelers are required to undergo facility-based quarantine only for seven days, shorter than the 10 days for unvaccinated travelers.
The fully vaccinated persons will also undergo a reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) only if they develop symptoms.
Such test for Sars-CoV-2 is required for unvaccinated international travelers on the seventh day of facility-based quarantine. Despite a negative result, the traveler is required to complete 10 days in quarantine before undergoing an additional four days of home quarantine. (Third Anne Peralta-Malonzo / SunStar Philippines)