(Eagle News) — Malacanang has imposed a travel ban for those with travel history to India amid the emergence of more infectious variants there that caused an unprecedented spike in cases there. The travel ban will be in effect starting Thursday, April 29, until May 14.

“All travelers coming from India or those with travel history to India within the last 14 days preceding arrival shall be prohibited from entering the Philippines beginning 0001H of April 29, 2021, until May 14, 2021,” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a statement issued Tuesday night, April 27.

He said that “passengers already in transit” from India and all those who have been to India within 14 days prior to arrival in the Philuppines will not be subject to the ban, but will be have to be “required to undergo stricter quarantine and testing protocols.”

This means these travellers will stay and be observed for 14 days in a quarantine facility notwithstanding a negative Reverse Transcription – Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) result.

-Restrictions for countries with new Indian variant may also be imposed-

“Restrictions as to travelers coming from other countries that report the new strain may be imposed by the Office of the President upon the joint recommendation of the Department of Health and the Department of Foreign Affairs,” Roque said.

“The Department of Transportation should ensure that airlines are directed not to allow the boarding of passengers entering the country pursuant to travel restrictions imposed by the Office of the President and IATF resolutions except if they are part of the repatriation efforts of the national government.” he added.

 

 

With this, the Philippines joins other countries which have also imposed a travel ban for travelers coming from India following the reported presence of a highly infectious double mutant variant of the COVID-19 virus which is suspected to be fueling the unprecedented surge in cases and deaths in that country.

(Eagle News Service)