Uniform quarantine protocols eyed for Filipinos vaccinated in Philippines and abroad —Galvez

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. on Friday said the National Task Force Against COVID-19's technical working group is formulating standard quarantine protocols for Filipinos vaccinated in the country and abroad.

“Once ang isang OFW ay vaccinated abroad and it was validated that they were really vaccinated, he or she will have the same quarantine control with those vaccinated here in the Philippines,” Galvez said during the symbolic vaccination for the A4 priority group held at the Philippine Stock Exchange in Taguig City.

(Once an overseas Filipino worker gets vaccinated abroad and it was validated that they were really vaccinated, he or she will have the same quarantine control with those vaccinated here in the Philippines.)

“They will follow the same quarantine procedure ng seven days and we are looking at some sort of testing. These are all being studied and considered,” said Galvez who is also the NTF Against COVID-?19 chief implementer.

Galvez said the proposed guidelines are still being deliberated by the NTF and it will be among the topics to be discussed with experts from Israel's Ministry of Health set to arrive in Manila next week.

“We want the policy for the vaccinated individuals to be fair and consistent. Because we have to remember that even vaccinated people can still get infected especially now that we have new variants,” Galvez said.

He added that the NTF is coordinating with the Department of Foreign Affairs, Department of Labor and Employment, Overseas Workers Welfare Administration and manning agencies for the validation of the vaccination of OFWs abroad.

The Department of Health (DOH) on Friday said it has recommended the scrapping of the COVID-19 testing requirement for inbound Filipinos who were fully vaccinated abroad.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire made clear, however, that nothing is final yet as authorities study how to verify the vaccination status of incoming travelers.

The government earlier this month shortened the mandatory quarantine period and removed the COVID-19 testing requirement for fully vaccinated individuals who got their shots in the Philippines. 

Quarantine period for inbound travelers to the Philippines who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 has been shortened to seven days from 14 but only if they got vaccinated in the country.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque osaid an individual is considered fully vaccinated if he or she will come to the Philippines two or more weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series, or two or more weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. —KG, GMA News