Should PH need to impose travel restrictions for travelers from China? DOH says 'not at this time yet'

The Department of Health (DOH) said there is no need yet to impose strict travel measures for travelers coming from China amid the increasing number of Covid-19 infections in the east asian country.

“First, the DOH doesn't think that it is required or it is needed already that we close our borders or have these regulations or restrictions specific to China only because of what is happening in their country,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press briefing on Thursday, Dec. 29.

“So the answer is: not at this time yet,” she added.

Vergeire said that the Philippines is in “a much better position currently compared to one or two years ago.”

This is because most of the citizens were already fully vaccinated. Also, Filipinos have learned the “good behavior” of practicing the minimum public health standards, she said.

“Now, as for our regulations within our borders, we cannot just have our closure and open it and then close it again then open it. We are all moving forward because we would like to reach that new normal,” said Vergeire.

“It doesn't follow that if some countries near our borders or these high income countries would be closing their borders or imposing stricter regulations for China that we should follow--because it is the direction of this administration that as much as possible, restrictions should be at that minimal where we don't compromise health but we also favor the opening up of the economy,” she added.

However, Vergeire said it is important to further strengthen the country’s disease surveillance system to monitor the case trends.

“There have been a lot of variants and subvariants that have entered the country and we have detected that through our strengthened surveillance system--we were able to manage, our hospitals are better prepared, and we are still managing,” she said.

“I think right now, it is just for us to monitor and observe the situation but imposing our strengthened surveillance, and of course, for that regulation that at least we require a negative antigen test coming from all countries for those individuals who are not vaccinated,” she added.

On Dec. 28, the government may impose strict travel measures for travelers from China, said Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Jaime Bautista.

The World Health Organization (WHO) also recently aired its concern on China’s Covid-19 situation.

"WHO is very concerned over the evolving situation in China, with increasing reports of severe disease," said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus last Dec. 21.