New Covid-19 strain prompts PHL to tweak travel rules

THE reported spread of a new strain of Covid-19 from the United Kingdom prompted Malacañang to extend the restrictions on flights from the UK and the cancellation of face- to- face classes.

In a statement on Sunday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque disclosed that President Duterte approved on December 26 the Inter- Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Disease ( IATF) recommendation to prolong the ban on flights from the UK for two more weeks.

He said the restrictions will remain in effect beyond the original deadline of December 31.

Duterte also approved the suggestion of the Department of Health (DOH) to make mandatory the 14- day quarantine for travelers from areas that reported the new Covid-19 variant, including Hong Kong, Singapore, and Australia, regardless of the reverse transcription- polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results.

The quarantine and testing protocol will be enforced by the Bureau of Quarantine and the Overseas

Workers Welfare Administration.

Canceled pilot study

DUTERTE also ordered the cancellation of the scheduled pilot study of face-to- face classes that will be conducted by the Department of Education (Deped) starting next month.

“This variant attacks even young people. So there will be no face-toface classes,” Duterte said.

He said he may consider allowing such scheme by June after the government starts its Covid-19 vaccination drive by the first quarter of 2021.

Expanding ban

THE country still has an existing travel ban on foreign tourists, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs ( DFA), as it sought to allay fears on the possible entry of the new strain.

“There are IATF resolutions allowing certain visa classes of foreign nationals to enter, inc luding recent ly, balikbayans [ homecoming Filipinos],” said Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Civilian Security and Consular Concerns Brigido D. Dulay in a Viber message to the Businessmirror. “Those [foreigners] entering for tourism are still not allowed. That’s the last that will be opened.”