The Philippines has tightened quarantine protocols on persons flying in from abroad after more cases of the United Kingdom COVID-19 variant were found in the country.

The new policy, whose main feature is a mandatory swab test on the 5th day of a traveler’s arrival in the Philippines, takes effect on February 1, said Presidential Spokesman Harry Roque.

“Arriving passengers, regardless of their origin, shall be required to undergo facility-based quarantine upon arrival.  They shall then undergo RT-PCR test on the 5th day from their date of arrival in the country, unless the passenger shows symptoms at an earlier date while on quarantine,” he said in a statement on Wednesday, January 27.

If passengers test negative, they will be endorsed to the local government unit of their destination. They will then have to complete the rest of their 14-day quarantine under the “strict monitoring” of the LGU.

Persons who are capable of properly observing home quarantine, which means having a dedicated room and bathroom during isolation, among other things, may go on quarantine in their houses, said Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire.

Otherwise, their respective LGUs should bring them to an isolation facility.

Why the stricter rules?

Prior to the new protocols, travelers could leave quarantine facilities as soon as they received a negative swab test result.

But health experts have previously pointed out that a person with COVID-19 could test negative for the virus a few days after acquiring it, hence the necessity of testing 5 days after arrival.

For instance, a Filipino who arrived from the United Kingdom last December had tested negative for COVID-19 upon arrival but tested positive days later.

Eleven of his close contacts eventually tested positive for the more transmissible B117 variant from the UK, though he himself did not appear to carry the variant.

Who can enter the Philippines?

The new rules only apply to people allowed to enter the Philippines. Foreigners coming from these countries, where the new virus variant has been detected, are prohibited from entry, unless they are diplomats or part of international organizations with business in the country. – Rappler.com