Philippines expands travel ban to 19 more countries amid new COVID-19 variant threat
FILE PHOTO– Passenger lanes at Ninoy Aquino International Airport’s Terminal 3 are empty in this photo taken on March 13. (Photo by LYN RILLON / Philippine Daily Inquirer)
MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has expanded its travel ban to 19 more countries to prevent the transmission of the new COVID-19 variant, Malacañang said Tuesday.
In a statement, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said this will take effect starting Wednesday, Dec. 30 until Jan. 15.
Roque said this order covers the following countries:
- Denmark
- Ireland
- Japan
- Australia
- Israel
- The Netherlands
- Hong Kong, SAR
- Switzerland
- France
- Germany
- Iceland
- Italy
- Lebanon
- Singapore
- Sweden
- South Korea
- South Africa
- Canada
- Spain
President Rodrigo Duterte has also extended the temporary suspension of flights and prohibition of entry on all travelers coming from the United Kingdom until Jan. 15, Roque said.
Article continues after this advertisementFilipino citizens coming from the aforementioned countries are exempted from the travel ban.
“However, they shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, notwithstanding a negative RT-PCR test result,” Roque said.
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