DOH urges repeat COVID-19 test for passengers 5 days after arrival

The Department of Health has recommended a repeat of passengers' COVID-19 tests five days after they arrived in the country, DOH spokesperson Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said on Thursday.

The change in the COVID-19 protocol, Vergeire said, was to ensure that they the passengers were not carriers of the virus.

"We already have recommended to the technical working group of the IATF na pagdating ng ating mga kababayan from any country, kailangan 'yung testing nila but we have to repeat the testing on the fifth day after they have arrived before we release them to LGUs," Vergeire said.

"Sa ganitong paraan maaari po nating makita and appropriate po ang timing ng testing, we can be more certain kung talagang negatibo o positibo itong ating pasyente," she added.

This came after some close contacts of the Filipino male, who arrived from the United Arab Emirates and tested positive for the UK coronavirus variant, initially tested negative and later on turned out to be positive too.

His girlfriend and mother also tested positive for COVID-19.

The proposal is up for vetting and approval of the IATF leaders, according to Vergeire.

"Hopefully also we will have the resources for this," she said. -NB, GMA News