Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, November 26) — The Philippine government is keeping a close watch on the new coronavirus variant causing serious worry in other countries, saying it is waiting for the official guidance of the World Health Organization.
When asked if the Philippines will impose travel restrictions on countries with confirmed cases of the B.1.1.529 variant, such as South African nations and Hong Kong, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the government is actively monitoring developments.
“We are monitoring, intently monitoring itong situation na ito. Patuloy pa din ang ginagawang genomic surveillance on the ground at patuloy din po ang pakikipagugnayan natin sa WHO, especially awaiting their advisories kung ito bang variant is considered variant of interest or variant of concern,” he said in a media briefing.
[Translation: We are intently monitoring the situation. Genomic surveillance is ongoing and we are in communication with the WHO. We are awaiting their advisories, especially if it will be classified as variant of interest or variant of concern.]
Health reform advocate Tony Leachon urged the government to act swiftly by imposing travel restrictions on travelers from South Africa and Botswana and ensure closer monitoring of foreigners and returning overseas Filipino workers from Hong Kong.
Cases of the B.1.1.529 variant have been reported in South Africa, Botswana, and recently, in Hong Kong after a traveler arrived from South Africa.
The three areas are currently on the Philippines’ Green List, which means fully vaccinated travelers from there can enter the Philippines without undergoing facility-based quarantine.
“We must review Green list countries and impose travel restrictions and strict quarantine with plan to do travel ban. Based on our past surges, failure to impose travel bans with agility led to escalation of new cases and severe prolonged lockdowns,” Leachon said in a tweet on Friday.
The United Kingdom is imposing a precautionary temporary travel restriction on South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Eswatini, Zimbabwe, and Namibia.
Dr. Maria Van Kerkhove, the World Health Organization COVID-19 response technical lead, said the B.1.1.529 variant “has a large number of mutations,” which can have an impact on how the virus behaves. But the WHO also said B.1.1.529 is not yet a variant of interest or variant of concern.
South African officials expressed concern that the mutation could result in immune evasion and enhanced transmissibility of the virus, but added it is too early to tell what kind of impact the mutations will have on vaccine efficacy.
