(Eagle News) — The Philippines has included France in its “red” list over the Omicron threat.
According to Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles, the ban on travelers from that country is effective 12:01 a.m. on December 10 and will end on December 15.
Nograles said travelers who have been to France in the last 14 days who will arrive on any of the days from December 10 to 12 will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine for 14 days.
They shall be subjected to a RT-PCR test on the seventh day.
Even if the results yield negative for COVID-19, Nograles said they will still have to complete the required 14-day quarantine.
Starting 12:01 a.m. of December 13 until December 15, Nograles said entry into any port of the Philippines will not be allowed for travelers coming from or who have been to France within the last 14 days prior to their arrival in the Philippines.
Nograles said this was regardless of these travelers’ vaccination status.
Only Filipinos returning to the Philippines via government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation, and Bayanihan Flights may be allowed entry.
They, however, shall still be subjected to existing testing and quarantine protocols for countries included in the Philippines’ red list.
Meanwhile, travelers who arrived prior to December 10 and are currently undergoing quarantine, meanwhile, are required to complete the testing and quarantine protocols in effect at the time of their arrival.
“All passengers, whether Filipinos or foreigners, merely transiting through France shall not be deemed as having come from or having been to said country if they stayed in the airport the whole time and were not cleared for entry into such country by its immigration authorities,” Nograles said.
He said upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall comply with the “applicable testing and quarantine protocols for passengers who have not been to any Red List country/territory/jurisdiction.”
As for minors, Nograles said, as with all international inbound travel, their testing and quarantine protocols shall follow the testing and quarantine protocols of the parent/guardian traveling with them, regardless of the minor’s vaccination status.
Children 3 years old and below, he said, shall be exempt from the requirement of presenting an RT-PCR test that yields negative for COVID-19 before boarding the flight, unless he or she is symptomatic.
Apart from France, Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, The Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium, Italy, South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique are in the Philippines’ red list.