Duterte extends UK travel ban for another 2 weeks

Duterte said the only way to stop the possible entry of the new variant into the Philippines is to order another suspension of Philippine flights from the UK. (File Photo by Alex Suprun/Unsplash)

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte on Saturday extended the imposition of temporary travel ban on all flights from the United Kingdom (UK) following reports of a new variant of the SARS-COV-2 in the European nation.

Duterte made the decision upon the recommendation of Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) and experts.

“Okay, I accept that. It’s good. So it’s amended accordingly,” Duterte said, when asked by Roque if the Philippines can extend the travel restrictions on transport from the UK for another two weeks.

Duterte initially approved the recommendation of the IATF-EID to ban Philippine flights from the UK from December 24 to 31.

Duterte said the only way to stop the possible entry of the new variant into the Philippines is to order another suspension of Philippine flights from the UK.

“As a matter of fact, I am telling you, there is no way of knowing how this thing would evolve. It is evolving. But how far? How fast is the progression? Wala pa tayong alam (We know nothing),” he said.

During the meeting, infectious diseases experts said there is no evidence yet that the new strain of Covid-19, which is 70 percent more transmissible than the previous variants, is more virulent.

Under IATF-EID Resolution 90 recently approved by Duterte, all passengers who have been to the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, including those merely in transit, are barred from entering the country in the same period.

Passengers already in transit from the UK and those who have been to the UK within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, who arrived before 12:01 a.m. of December 24, will not be subject to entry restriction but will be required to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols.

The protocols that must be followed include an absolute 14-day quarantine period at the Athlete’s Village in the New Clark City, notwithstanding a negative reverse transcription -polymerase chain reaction test result.

Outbound travel to the UK will also be subject to the exit protocols of the Philippines and the UK, according to the resolution.