The Department of Tourism (DOT) is proposing a reduced quarantine period for arriving passengers who have completed their coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) will be discussing the matter, including the proposed “green lane” for fully inoculated foreigners on Wednesday.
“Exploratory lang naman because other countries are doing it, so we’re exploring to reduce hindi naman para tanggalin but to reduce the quarantine (These are all exploratory because other countries are doing it, so we’re exploring to reduce but not to remove it entirely),” she said in a CNN Philippines interview on Tuesday.
Romulo-Puyat said all arriving passengers, regardless if they are fully vaccinated or not, must undergo a 10-day facility quarantine and another four days at home upon arrival to the Philippines.
“In Thailand, if you’re fully vaccinated, it’s down from 10 days to seven quarantine days for fully vaccinated. In Hong Kong, it’s also down from 21 days also to seven days for fully vaccinated but coming from certain countries. So, we were thinking that if other countries are already doing it, it also should also be discussed with the Department of Health, the health experts,” Romulo-Puyat said.
The country has yet to open its gateway to foreigners traveling for leisure but the DOT is hoping the “green lane” would also be considered by the IATF-EID.
Last week, the DOT proposed the initiative to facilitate the entry of fully vaccinated foreigners as part of efforts for a slow but safe reopening of the country. (PNA)
