Gov’t to check if there’s a need for travel ban on HK —Duque

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Thursday said the government is set to check whether there is a need to impose a travel ban on Hong Kong which is now on its fifth COVID-19 wave due to the more transmissible Omicron variant.

“Titignan natin kasi ang nakakatakot sa Hong Kong, ‘yung maraming hindi bakunadong mga seniors, parang 30% lang, kaya makikita mo ‘yung pasyente andon na sa labas,” Duque said in a Super Radyo dzBB interview.

(We will check because what is frightening in Hong Kong is that many of their senior citizens are not yet vaccinated. Only around 30% of them have, that’s why you could see the patients already outside of hospitals.)

Duque said Hong Kong has a problem with their senior citizens who refuse to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

“Mas malaki ang problema nila sa seniors kesa dito sa atin. Doon talaga, ayaw magpabakuna, kakaunti ang nagpapabakuna. Siguro 90% diyan puro seniors ang na-ospital,” he added.

[Hong Kong has a bigger problem with senior citizens than we do. Senior citizens there really don’t want to get vaccinated, and only a few of them have. Maybe 90% of those getting hospitalized are elderlies.]

Several overseas Filipino workers in Hong Kong who got infected with the virus were among those forced to wait outside hospitals for treatment as medical facilities are at full capacity.

Meanwhile, the Philippines opened its borders for business and leisure travelers starting February 10, for the first time in two years since the pandemic hit.

Only fully vaccinated foreign nationals may be allowed entry, subject to the presentation of required documents as set by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

“Sa atin naman, pagka-vaccinated naman, ‘yun pa rin ‘yung panuntunan. ‘Yun pa rin ‘yung protocol natin 'di ba—pre-departure test within 48 hours. Tapos pag negative naman, pasasakayin naman ‘yan ng eroplano manggagaling doon sa kung anumang bansang panggagalingan nila,” Duque said.

(For the vaccinated, the protocols remain. They have to present a pre-departure test within 48 hours. If they test negative, our airport would allow them entry wherever country they come from.)

“Kung walang test, hindi naman makakapasok. Pero kung tested pero unvaccinated, ay kailangan mag-quarantine pa rin,” he added.

(If there is no test, they will be barred entry. If they tested negative but are unvaccinated, they have to undergo quarantine.)—AOL, GMA News