7-day facility based quarantine for

Fully ‘vaxed’ persons entering PH

TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol June 4 (PIA) – Just what are the chances that those who do not have full protection against coronavirus disease through vaccination, be denied travel outside their residence?

While the question may spark legal debates including issues on the basic human rights to travel, with the pandemic still ravaging, the chances may not be far off.

Recently, the Inter Agency Task Force (IATF) on the management of Emerging Infectious Disease has approved the guidelines and policies governing inbound international travel to any Philippine port of all fully vaccinated individuals.

Through Resolution No. 119 series of 2021, dated June 3, 2021, the IATF ruled that all arriving fully vaccinated foreign individuals are still required to undergo a seven (7) day facility-based quarantine upon arrival, with the day of arrival being the first day.

IATF defined a fully vaccinated individual as those who more than two weeks after having received the second dose of the vaccine which needs two doses, or two weeks after getting the vaccine which needs only a single dose.

IATF also ruled that a fully vaccinated individual must have been administered with the vaccines that are included in the Philippine Food and Drug Administration Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) List or released through a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP).

This fully vaccinated individual, upon entry into the country, must carry his or her vaccination card, which must be also be verified prior to departure, as far as practicable.

This document must be presented to the dedicated Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) representative for re-verification at the Department of Transportation One-Stop-Shop (OSS) upon arrival in the Philippines.

The IATF also ruled that the BOQ shall ensure strict symptom monitoring while the full vaccinated individual is in the facility quarantine for seven (7) days.

If, within the 7-day facility based quarantine, the individual manifests symptoms, he shall undergo Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) testing.

Upon completion of the seven (7)-day facility-based quarantine, the BOQ will issue a Quarantine Certificate indicating therein the individual’s vaccination status, and then the individual is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms.

Furthermore, the IATF recommends for the Department of Health, Department of Finance, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Foreign Affairs, and the National Economic and Development Authority to convene and provide recommendations for further relaxing testing and quarantine protocols for certain classes of travelers.

As the government is strictly putting up measures to make sure international travelers and foreigners, even when fully vaccinated, to show their vaccination cards, many believe this measure may also be used for local travel.

That those who refused to be vaccinated may have to remain detained at home to be protected from the disease, may not be a far reality after all, many said. (rahchiu/PIA-7/Bohol)