Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 26) — COVID-19 response chief implementer Secretary Carlito Galvez, Jr. on Tuesday said the Inter-Agency Task Force will tackle the possibility of extending to 21 days the compulsory 14-day quarantine for those allowed to enter the Philippines amid the faster-spreading coronavirus variant.
“I-di-discuss namin mamayang hapon [sa] meeting,” Galvez said in a forum, referring to the extended quarantine for inbound travelers.
[Translation: We will discuss this during a meeting in the afternoon].
Current rules state that individuals who could go to the Philippines, including returning Filipinos, spouses, and children of Filipino nationals, diplomats, foreign officials accredited by the Philippines, are subject to testing and two-week quarantine.
Hong Kong authorities have been imposing a 21-day quarantine on visitors from outside China since Dec. 25, taking into consideration “exceptional cases where the incubation period of the virus is longer than 14 days,” according to a government spokesman. They are also banning from boarding for Hong Kong people who have stayed in South Africa in the past 21 days due to the discovery of a new variant there.
The World Health Organization said the incubation period of COVID-19 could be as long as 14 days. This means the symptoms could appear two weeks after a person has been exposed to the coronavirus.
The Philippine government banned until Jan. 31 the entry of foreigners from 35 jurisdictions with confirmed cases of the UK variant. Filipinos and non-Filipinos who could enter the country must undergo testing twice and finish their mandatory quarantine.
The DOH reported 16 new cases of the UK or B.1.1.7 variant last week, bringing the total to 17. Of the 17, 12 were from two villages in Bontoc town in Mountain Province. Among those infected were three children aged five, six, and 10.
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