MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos abroad who are fully vaccinated for COVID-19 will undergo a shorter quarantine period on their return to the country, Malacañang announced on Tuesday.
In a regular briefing, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the individuals would now spend seven days in quarantine sites from the original 10 starting Thursday, July 1.
"Their date of arrival will serve as the first day of quarantine," he said in Filipino. "The Bureau of Quarantine will ensure strict symptom monitoring while they are in facilities."
Still, Roque added that the move will cover Filipinos complete with their shots who come from a list of "low-risk" countries or jurisdictions, which the Department of Health will issue.
The pandemic task force in Resolution 123-C said persons are considered fully inoculated if it has been two weeks or more after they completed their doses.
Vaccines administered should also be in either a list of jabs with emergency use approval or compassionate special permit by the Food and Drug Administration, or in the emergency use listing of the World Health Organization.
The local regulator has so far cleared eight jabs for EUA: Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Sinovac, Gamaleya, Janssen, Sinopharm, Moderna and Bharat's Covaxin recently.
Roque said returning Filipinos in quarantine facilities would undergo RT-PCR testing on the fifth day.
If results turn out negative, he said they would still have to finish the seven days. If they are positive for COVID-19, Roque said they would have to follow the prescribed isolation protocols.
"This testing requirement that I have mentioned will go through a review 30 days after it is implemented," he added in Filipino.
The Palace spokesperson said individuals would get a quarantine certificate from the quarantine bureau after they complete the period.