Shortened quarantine period for fully-vaxxed suspended

CEBU, Philippines — The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has suspended the shortened quarantine period for fully-vaccinated close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque announced it during a virtual press briefing yesterday.

Previously, fully-vaccinated individuals who are close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases were allowed to undergo a shortened quarantine period of seven days provided that the individual remains asymptomatic for the duration of the seven-day period.

The Department of Health and its Technical Advisory Group made such recommendations in light of the more transmissible COVID-19 variants. IATF’s Resolution 132 indicated that such suspension of a shorter quarantine period is only temporary.

In line with this, the testing and quarantine protocols for all close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases, regardless of vaccination status, shall comply with the Revised Interim Omnibus Guidelines on the Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration Strategies for COVID-19.

In this case, close contacts who remain asymptomatic for at least 14 days from the date of exposure may already discontinue their quarantine after. —FPL (FREEMAN)