The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday assured that safeguards are in place despite the lifting of the travel restriction to 10 countries.
"We should not worry because we have safeguards. While there will be no restrictions, we have strict border control for all incoming travellers...no exemptions," Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press briefing Monday, Sept. 6.
"Aside from that, everyone goes through 10 plus 4 quarantine and 7th day testing," she added.
The Inter-Agency Task Force earlier decided to lift the travel restrictions in 10 countries beginning Sept. 6.
Meanwhile, the DOH official also explained why they proposed the shift to granular lockdown.
"We saw that, for example in a city, only a few barangays have cases but already comprise 80 percent of their cases. This prompted us to really push for the shift to granular lockdowns," said Vergeire.
"This will be granular with sector-specific restrictions only, and not the whole area," she added.
"This is so the people from other areas won't be affected, especially in terms of their livelihood," said Vergeire.