Duterte OKs recommendation to extend UK travel ban for 2 more weeks

MANILA, Philippines — President Rodrigo Duterte approved on Saturday the proposal of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) to extend the travel ban for flights coming from the United Kingdom for another two weeks.

The proposal was raised by presidential spokesperson Harry Roque during the meeting of Duterte with the IATF, in addition to the proposals raised by the task force.

“In addition, can I propose a fourth one? An extension of the travel ban for all flights coming from the UK including those who transited in the UK for another two weeks?” said Roque.

“Okay. I accept that. It’s good. It’s amended accordingly,” Duterte said in response.

Flights from the United Kingdom, where the new coronavirus strain believed to be more infectious was detected, to the Philippines were earlier suspended starting December 24 to 31.

Aside from extending the travel ban, Duterte also approved the recommendation of the IATF for a mandatory 14-day quarantine for travelers from Hongkong, Singapore, and Australia that have reported cases of the new coronavirus variant.

He also approved the recommendation of the task force for the government to consider imposing travel restrictions from other countries only when there is community transmission of the new virus strain.

Specimens from travelers from the UK should likewise be submitted to the Philippine Genome Center for genomic sequencing, as approved by the President during the meeting.

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