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No-quarantine rule for ROFs, int'l travelers has health experts' backing, says Puyat
Health experts have assured the government of the safety of the no-quarantine rule for fully vaccinated travelers arriving to the Philippines, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romula-Puyat said Monday.
"It's very safe naman daw to do away with quarantine as long as fully vaccinated at may negative RT-PCR [test] for 48 hours," Puyat said in a radio interview.
The no-quarantine policy for fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs)
, whether facility-based or home, will be effective starting February 1, 2022.Facility-based quarantine will also no longer be made mandatory for fully vaccinated foreign travelers from visa-free countries starting February 10, 2022.
For his part, Dr. Edsel Salvana of the Department of Health-Technical Advisory Group said the analysis of the country’s situation shows it can take a “little bit of risk” with arriving passengers.
“Nakikita naman natin ngayon na nag record cases tayo pero ‘yung hospital while umakyat ng kaonti ‘yung admission, very fast na it started to go down also,” Salvana said at the Palace briefing.
“So what that tells us is that we can take a little bit of risk in terms of having these passengers come in, especially from countries who have the same or even lower community transmission than us,” he added.
Further, he stressed that the policy is only for vaccinated travelers.
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Meanwhile, acting spokesperson Karlo Nograles clarified that international arriving Filipino passengers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 but still test positive for the illness are allowed entry into the country.
However, they must present their positive RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country or port of origin.
They must also bring a medical certificate issued by a licensed physician stating that the traveler has completed the mandatory isolation period, are no longer infectious, and has been allowed free movement or travel.
Puyat, however, stressed the importance of self-monitoring and compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.
"Self-monitoring na lang and paalala pa rin na we have to follow minimum health and safety protocols," she said.
Under the new policy, ROFs and international travelers must present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin and must self-monitor for seven days from the date of arrival.
Puyat gave the assurance after Dr. Tony Leachon, a former adviser to the National Task Force Against COVID-19, on Saturday warned that the new policy could trigger superspreader events.
Before implementing the new policy, Leachon said the government should have set aside at least two weeks for an education campaign and other preparations. — with Joahna Lei Casilao/KBK/RSJ, GMA News