ON the recommendation of the Department of Health, President Rodrigo Duterte has included Austria in the list of countries affected by the Philippine government-imposed travel ban.
The ban on passengers coming from Austria (which was repoted earlier with an emerging mutated COVID-19 strain, takes effect 12:01 am of January 10.
“Foreign passengers coming from, or who have been to Austria within 14 days immediately preceding arrival in the Philippines, arriving before January 10, 2021, 12:01AM, Manila time, shall be allowed to enter the Philippines. However, they shall be required to undergo an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period, even if they obtain a negative RT-PCR test result,” the Palace said.
Malacañang however maintained its earlier position allowing Filipino citizens to enter the country provided they undergo stringent testing procedures and 14-day mandatory quarantine.
Filipino and foreign passengers merely transiting through Austria shall be covered by the rules as provided in the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated December 31, 2020.
Meanwhile, the rules on incoming unaccompanied minor Filipino passengers as provided in the Memorandum from the Executive Secretary dated January 5, 2021, shall apply to such passengers coming from or who have been to Austria with the prohibition of entry taking effect on January 10, 2021, 12:01AM, Manila time.
The Task Group on Returning Overseas Filipinos of the National Task Force Against COVID-19 and all local government units (LGUs) were also instructed to make the necessary preparations for the implementation of strict quarantine and isolation in health facilities for those arriving, and for LGU-led monitoring for those quarantining at home, after January 15, 2021.
Malacanang also earlier announced that starting 12:01 a.m. on January 8 until January 15, foreign travelers coming from or who have been to Portugal, India, Finland, Norway, Jordan, and Brazil within 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines will be refused entry to the Philippines.
Travel restrictions to 21 other countries were also earlier imposed to contain the spread of the new variant.