Arayat, Pampanga restricts entry of QC residents due to new virus variant

The local government of Arayat, Pampanga has imposed travel restrictions on Quezon City residents.

Arayat Mayor Emmanuel Alejandrino said this is to part of measures against the spread of the new variant of the coronavirus which was originally found in the United Kingdom, according to a report by Jonathan Andal on GMA News' Unang Balita.

The Department of Health (DOH) and Philippine Genome Center (PGC) on Wednesday announced that the new coronavirus variant initially discovered in the UK has been detected in the Philippines

The DOH said the patient is a male resident of Quezon City who left for Dubai on December 27 for business purposes and returned to the country on January 7 aboard Emirates Flight No. EK 332.

Alejandrino said travelers from Metro Manila will be allowed inside Arayat as long as they do not get out of their vehicles.

Meanwhile, Arayat residents working in Quezon City need to present a medical certificate and negative COVID-19 test result.

The Arayat LGU has allotted P12 million for the purchase of COVID-19 vaccines for its residents. —KG, GMA News