The Department of Health (DOH) said it is recommending adding another layer of testing requirement for inbound travelers to the Philippines to detect possible COVID-19 cases.
Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that they are eyeing to subject all travelers entering the Philippines to re-swabbing---- on the 5th day of their quarantine period to ensure whether or not they are infected with the COVID-19 virus.
This recommendation will be presented to the country’s Interagency Task Force for COVID-19, she said.
“We have to repeat the testing on the 5th day after they have arrived and before we release them to their LGUs (local government units),” said Vergeire.
“We have already recommended this to the technical working group of the IATF and hopefully they will approve it,” she added.
“This is an appropriate timing of testing and we can be more certain if an individual is really negative or positive (for COVID-19 virus),” she furthered.
Under the current protocol, all inbound passengers are required to undergo an RT-PCR test upon their arrival at the airport. They will undergo isolation in a government-accredited facility while waiting for their test results.
The recommendation of the DOH comes after four close contacts of the Philippines first B.1.1.7 SARS-CoV-2 variant (United Kingdom variant) case were found positive with the viral illness during re-testing. The DOH said that the four co-passengers tested negative upon their arrival in the country.
In total, 14 close contacts of the index case have tested positive for COVID-19. However, health authorities are still conducting a study to determine whether or not the 14 individuals have been infected with the UK COVID-19 variant.