The Philippines on Jan. 15 extended by two weeks a ban on travelers from more than 30 territories and countries where a more transmissible COVID-19 variant has been detected, with the restriction also now covering Filipinos who want to come home.
The Southeast Asian country, which has recorded its first case of a new variant that was first found in Britain, has the second highest number of COVID-19 cases and casualties in Southeast Asia, next to Indonesia.
The flight ban, which has been expanded from the initial 19 countries and territories and was initially imposed for two weeks until Jan. 15, will now be in effect until Jan. 31, Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.
The prohibition also now covers travelers from China starting Jan. 13, and the United States beginning Jan. 3.
While the British variant was found to be nearly 70 percent more transmissible than the original one, there is no evidence yet that it is more dangerous.
The flight ban now covers all travelers coming from or transiting through the flagged countries, which also include Japan, Australia, Israel, Hong Kong, France, Germany and Italy, the statement said.
Previously Filipinos from those areas were allowed to come home on condition that they underwent a 14-day quarantine in a government-designated isolation facility.
Roque said exemptions to the entry restrictions may be issued by the government’s coronavirus task force.
At least two Catholic bishops in the Philippines supported the government’s decision to extend travel restrictions to countries with the new COVID-19 strain.
“If it can help, I guess they have to seriously consider that … for the common good,” said Bishop Oscar Florencio of the Military Ordinariate.
Bishops Ruperto Santos of the Episcopal Commission on Migrants and Itinerant People said the current situation demands that “our government should extend the travel ban.”
“All should be protected, health and safety must be promoted,” said the prelate. “We have to be more careful, be extra cautious and strictly follow the [health] protocols,” he said.
With Reuters