(Eagle News) — The temporary ban on India covers Filipinos there, too.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said the decision was arrived at to prevent the entry of the new variant, B.1.617, which was reported as the one responsible for the surge in COVID-19 cases in India.
The new coronavirus variant has been described as a “double mutant.”
On Tuesday, India reported 350,000 new cases, pushing the global COVID-19 cases to 147.7 million.
In a separate statement, Bureau of Immigration Port Operations Division Chief Carlos Capulong confirmed Vergeire’s statement, noting the travel ban was not ‘nationality-specific’ and applies to any traveler coming from the region.
“We are conducting 100% passport inspection to determine the travel history of an arriving person. If we see that the traveler has been to India within the last 14 days, then he will be excluded and boarded on the next available flight back to his port of origin,” Capulong said.
Capulong said passengers already in transit who will arrive before April 29 may be allowed entry, but “will be referred to the appropriate agencies for stricter quarantine and testing protocols, to be subjected to an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period.”
He said airlines were directed not to allow the boarding of passengers pursuant to travel restrictions.
Earlier, the government announced the ban on travelers coming from India or those with a travel history to India within the last 14 days preceding arrival beginning April 29 until May 14.
“The (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) deems that this proactive restriction must be put in place to slow down the surge in Covid-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, and allow the health system to prepare, essentially protecting more lives,” Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said.
