Lifting of restrictions to start on Sept 6; IATF also updates countries under “Green List”, approves “red,” “yellow” classification for countries depending on COVID-risk
(Eagle News) –(Eagle News) – Starting Monday, Sept. 6, the current travel restrictions in India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia because of the Delta variant would be lifted.
Malacanang announced this on Saturday, Sept. 4 after President Rodrigo Duterte approved the recommendation of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to lift the current travel restrictions in these 10 countries.
But the Palace stressed that the international travelers coming from these countries should still comply with the “appropriate entry, testing and quarantine protocols, depending on the country’s approved ‘listing.’”
The travel restrictions on these countries were earlier extended until Sept. 5.
“These travel restrictions form part of the pro-active measures to slow down the rising number of COVID-19 cases, stop further spread of variants, and increase the country’s existing healthcare capacity,” Malacanang said then as reason for the extension.
The IATF also approved the adoption of “yellow” and “red” classification for countries based on the number of COVID-19 cases in their respective jurisdictions.
This is in addition to the “Green List” countries which have low COVID cases.
-Updated list of “green” countries-
Malacanang has already updated the countries under the “green list.” These are the following: American Samoa, Anguilla, Australia, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cayman Islands, Chad, China, Comoros, Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Gabon, Grenada, Hong Kong (Special Administrative Region of China), Hungary, Mali, Federated States of Micronesia, Montserrat, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Niger, Northern Mariana Islands, Palau, Poland, Saba, Saint Pierre and Miquelon, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Slovakia and Taiwan.
The countries to be classified under “Yellow” list are considered moderate risk, while the red-listed countries are considered high-risk. International travelers coming from these high-risk countries would not be allowed to enter the country.
“Only Filipinos returning to the country via government-initiated repatriation, non-government-initiated repatriation, and Bayanihan flights may be allowed entry, subject to entry, testing and quarantine protocols,” Malacanang said referring to countries under the “red” list.
The repatriated Filipinos would still undergo the required 14-day strict quarantine upon arrival, tested on the seventh day for COVID, and then strictly monitored in the quarantine facility.
Malacanang however did not yet release the names of countries in the yellow and red list.
(Eagle News Service)