IATF updates testing, quarantine protocols for arriving international passengers

Shorter quarantine and testing periods await international arriving passengers, especially fully-vaccinated individuals coming from Green and Yellow list countries, territories, and jurisdictions with the approved interim testing and quarantine protocols for international arriving passengers that will take effect on November 22, 2021.

This was after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) in its November 18 meeting approved the recommended updated protocols for travelers coming from abroad.

In his press briefing on Friday, Acting Presidential Spokesperson and Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles announced that fully vaccinated Filipinos coming from nations in the Green List, “must undergo facility-based quarantine with on-arrival RT-PCR testing until the release of their negative results. After which, the individual is enjoined to self-monitor until the 14th day of their arrival with the date of arrival being the first day.”

If the fully-vaccinated Filipino traveler from a Green List country arrives with a negative test taken within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin, no facility-based quarantine and no on-arrival RT-PCR test is required, per Secretary Nograles.

The Cabinet Secretary and Acting Spokesperson, who was recently designated as IATF spokesperson, added that for fully-vaccinated foreign individuals coming from Green List, a negative RT-PCR test shall be required to be taken within 72 hours prior to departure from country of origin. Upon arrival, no facility-based quarantine and no on-arrival RT-PCR test shall be further required, but the passenger is enjoined to self-monitor for any symptoms until the 14th day from date of arrival.

Meanwhile, for unvaccinated, partially vaccinated, and those whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, and those vaccinated but failed to comply with the test-before-travel requirements, they shall have to undergo facility-based quarantine until the release of their negative RT-PCR test taken on the fifth day, after which they can do self-monitoring until the 14th day from the date of their arrival.

For passengers coming from nations in the Yellow List, fully-vaccinated individuals shall be required to present a negative RT-PCR test done within 72 hours prior to departure from country of origin. They shall then undergo facility-based quarantine, with RT-PCR test done on the third day, after which they may be discharged if they tested negative and are enjoined to self-monitor up to the 14th day.

“On the other hand, fully-vaccinated individuals from Yellow List nations without a negative pre-departure test shall be required to undergo facility-based quarantine with a fifth day RT-PCR test, with the date of arrival considered the first day,” added Sec. Nograles.

Upon the release of a negative RT-PCR test, fully-vaccinated travelers from Yellow List countries without pre-departure test may be discharged from facility quarantine, after which they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until the 10th day from date of their arrival from a Yellow List country.

For the unvaccinated, partially-vaccinated, or whose vaccination status cannot be independently validated, who came from a Yellow list area, they are to undergo facility-based quarantine with RT-PCR test done on the seventh day, then upon release of a negative result, they shall be required to undergo home quarantine until the 14th day.

In the case of minors, Nograles said the IATF’s decision is for minors to follow the testing and quarantine protocols of the parent or guardian travelling with them, regardless of the minor’s vaccination status and country of origin.