This general view a hall converted into a 500-bed capacity COVID-19 coronavirus quarantine facility at the World Trade Center in Manila on April 23, 2020, one of the facilities to house mild cases of the disease. (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP)
MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Health (DOH) clarified that the COVID-19 isolation and quarantine periods for the general population remains unchanged.
The DOH issued the clarification on Saturday after the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases approved to shorten the isolation and quarantine periods for fully vaccinated health workers.
Based on the guidelines, the Hospital Infection Prevention and Control Committees and the Provincial Health Officers may shorten the isolation period of fully vaccinated health workers up to five days from 10 days.
Meanwhile, fully immunized health workers may also have their quarantine shortened from seven days.
For the general population, the isolation period of COVID-19 patients who are asymptomatic or those with mild to moderate symptoms is 10 days or depending on the advice of the doctor.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 patients with severe and critical symptoms should isolate for 21 days or depending on the doctor’s advice.
Quarantine of close contacts, meantime, is seven days for fully vaccinated individuals and 14 days for those with incomplete vaccine or without a vaccine.
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