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| Due to the new COVID-19 Omicron variant, the Philippines has now banned travelers from South Africa and six other countries from entering the country. PHOTO: RoyKabanlit, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons |
The Philippine government has now placed a travel ban on citizens of South Africa and six other nations on the Red List due to the new COVID-19 Omicron variant.
The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has announced that it will follow the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases' (IATF-MEID) recent directive banning travelers from South Africa, Botswana, and other countries in an effort to prevent the entry of the new variant.
According to a BI alert, anyone traveling from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique will be temporarily denied entrance beginning November 28.
"Those with recent travel history from these countries will also be denied entry," he added.
The declaration comes on the heels of the IATF-authorisation MEID's of the suspension of inbound international flights from countries having confirmed or probable instances of the Omicron strain.
Morente stated that the restriction on the Faroe Islands and the Netherlands will stay in effect until December 15, at which point the IATF will determine whether to extend or withdraw the prohibition. —Tacloban News Update (Source: PIA)