All incoming travelers with COVID-19 to undergo genome sequencing — DOH

MANILA, Philippines — Specimen collected from all incoming travelers who will arrive in the Philippines and who will test positive for the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will also be subjected to genome sequencing, to check for infection with the new COVID-19 variant.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said Friday that the government is strengthening its genomic biosurveillance since it is not feasible for the country to implement a total travel ban because of the new and more infectious virus variant that was first detected in the United Kingdom (UK).

“Aside from those restricted countries, we are now going to test all of those passengers or incoming travelers na nanggagaling sa lahat ng sulok ng mundo. Pagpasok nila dito they will be swabbed and lahat ng magpa-positive, we will now start to test [for genome sequencing] para tayo ay nakakasigurado,” she said in an online media forum.

(Aside from countries with travel restrictions, we are not going to test all of those passengers or incoming travelers coming from all countries. Once they arrive here, they will undergo swab test and the specimen of those who will test positive will be tested for genomic sequencing.)

Vergeire said this was among the protocols that will be observed as she noted that no country has implemented a total travel ban because of the new COVID-19 variant.

“It’s part of the evolution of the virus. Talagang nandiyan ‘yung mutation, ‘yung production ng variants. Hindi naman tayo pwedeng forever na naka-total ban, so we need to adapt, we need to just prevent, and strictly comply or implement our protocols,” she added.

(It’s part of the evolution of the virus. It will mutate. It will produce new variants. We cannot have a total travel ban forever, so we need to adapt. We just need to prevent its entry and to strictly comply with and implement our protocols.)

Further, Vergeire said that the government will only add countries to the travel ban list if it is confirmed from official sources that they have the new virus variant.

Malacañang announced on Friday that the Philippines has extended the travel restriction on countries with known cases of the new COVID-19 variant until January 31.

/MUF