7-day quarantine for inbound travelers fully vaccinated in Philippines

IATF shortens quarantine period, scraps testing for travelers fully vaccinated in Philippines.

The country’s pandemic response task force announced on Friday that all fully vaccinated inbound travelers “who have been inoculated in the Philippines” only need to undergo a 7-day quarantine instead of completing the 14-day facility-based isolation.

The Department of Health, which helped craft the guidelines, stressed the new policy will only cover those who were vaccinated in the Philippines.

“Ito ang green lanes na tinatawag natin. Ang mga Pilipino po na nabakunahan dito sa ating bansa, kung sila ay nagpunta sa ibang lugar, sa ibang bansa, kapag bumalik sila dito, they will undergo 7-day quarantine,” Health spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire said.

The Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases did not mention the quarantine and testing policy for returning overseas Filipinos and travelers already vaccinated abroad.

An RT-PCR, or swab test, will only be done if the vaccinated person exhibits flu-like symptoms during the quarantine period, the IATF ruled.

It said a person is considered “fully vaccinated” two weeks after having a single-dose vaccine or the second shot for brands requiring two doses. The inbound traveler must carry a vaccination card, which must be verified prior to departure and checked upon arrival in the Philippines.

The current protocol for non-vaccinated inbound travelers is to complete a 10-day facility-based isolation and swab test on the 7th day. If they yield a negative result, they will be transferred to their destination, where they will complete the four remaining days of quarantine.

The IATF in May moved OFWs who will be deployed in the next four months to the top vaccination priority group or A1 cluster.