The Bureau of Immigration (BI) has banned entry of all flights from the United Kingdom (UK) following the discovery of a new COVID-19 variant that has the ability to spread easily.
BI Commissioner Jaime Morente made the announcement after the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) decided to temporarily suspend all flights from UK starting December 24 to stop the entry of the super spreader virus.
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UK is composed of four states, namely; England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
The BI chief pointed out that all passengers who have been to UK in the last 14 days are temporarily restricted from entering the country.
He explained that transiting passengers from the UK are also covered by the ban.
“I have instructed a strict implementation of our 100% passport inspection to ensure that we are able to detect anyone who has been to the UK in the last 14 days,” he stated.
Morente also appealed to airlines and shipping agents not to board aliens who have been to the UK recently.
“We are constrained to implement this to ensure that our healthcare system is given ample time to respond to this latest development on the pandemic,” said Morente.
“Filipinos will be allowed to enter the country even after December 24, but will also be referred to the Bureau of Quarantine and the One-Stop-Shop for testing protocols," he said.
Morente said, however, that outbound travel to the UK will still be allowed, subject to the presentation of a confirmed round trip ticket for tourist visa holders, travel and health insurance, and signing at the ports of a declaration acknowledging the risks involved in traveling.(Jun Ramirez)