Villanueva: IATF must review quarantine guidelines for fully vaccinated travelers

Senator Joel Villanueva on Friday asked the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to review its new quarantine guidelines for fully vaccinated travelers.

“At face value, it seems the latest IATF issuance, particularly the provision on inbound international travelers, needs an immediate review and reconsideration,” Villanueva said in a text message to reporters.

He said Filipinos, including overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and balikbayans who were vaccinated in other countries will not be covered by the new quarantine guidelines.

“If you are a Filipino who's been vaccinated with Pfizer vaccine in the US, the order does not cover you. It is also not applicable to a returning OFW from Europe who has gotten two doses of Moderna. The IATF order does not honor a vaccine passport. Only those who have been vaccinated here will be exempted from certain aspects of quarantine,” Villanueva said.

“It does not [liberalize] entry protocols for stranded OFWs, for balikbayans who have been wanting to be reunited with their families,” he added.

Villanueva reminded the IATF that policies should be simple, practical, and helpful to all Filipinos including the OFWs.

On Friday afternoon, Malacañang announced that the quarantine period for inbound travelers to the Philippines who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 was shortened to seven days from 14 but only if they got vaccinated in the country.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said 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.

Roque is also the spokesperson for the IATF, the government's policy-making body in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. — DVM, GMA News