Overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in the UAE are urging the Philippine government to spare those who were already fully vaccinated against COVID-19 in the Gulf country from the possible travel ban.
Among them was Filipino nurse Ruben, whose last visit to the Philippines was almost 3 years ago, and has been longing to be reunited with his family since the pandemic.
“Dapat i-consider nila yung mga OFW na fully vaccinated na,” said the Filipino nurse, who has been in the UAE for 10 years now.
“Baka maapprove din yan, kasi yung last proposal nila na after 7-8 days kana i-swab eh naapprove yun. Parang useless lang talaga ang vaccine natin dito,” he added.
Like Ruben, another OFW pleaded: “Wag nmn po. Four years ko na po di nakikita ang mga anak ko. Parang awa nyo po naman. Vaccinated naman na po halos kaming OFW dito [sa UAE]. Sana naman po payagan nyo po kaming mga OFW.”
They were referring to the fresh proposal of the Department of Health (DOH) to the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) to restrict entry of passengers from the UAE and Oman, following the discovery of the Philippines’ first confirmed cases of the Indian COVID-19 variant.
The patients, who have already recovered, came from the two Gulf countries.
DOH Secretary Francisco Duque said if the recommendation would be approved by the task force, it might take into effect until end of May.
The health official also said on Thursday that they have also recommended strict travel screenings on passengers arriving from Middle East countries.
“What is important is we were able to implement an intensified border control, and quarantine and isolation protocols have been followed. That is why we were able to detect these cases plus of course our heightened biosurveillance and improved genomic sequencing,” said Duque.
Travel ban on passengers from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka will be in effect until May 14.
Some overseas Filipinos were suggesting to allow their entry since a mandatory 14-quarantine was already imposed by the IATF.
“Anung pang silbi ng 14-day quarantine,” said one OFW.
Nancy Reynoso, whose flight was set on May 28, said she needed to fly home soon as her contract already ended.
“[Papaano ako uuwi nang May 28. May ticket na ako. Hindi na nga ako nag-renew… Extended na ko dito kaya kailangan ko nang umuwi, Reynoso said.
“May vaccine na rin ako. Kaya please huwag na ninyong ituloy ang pagban. Maraming maaapektuhan na OFW na tapos na ang kontrata dito sa UAE.”
All OFWs arriving in the Philippines are currently required to undergo a 10-day quarantine at a government-owned facility.
They will also undergo a COVID-19 test on the 7th day upon arrival.
If they test positive, they will be sent to a hospital. If the OFW tests negative, they can choose to remain in the government facility or hotel, or head back home to complete their Day 11 to 14 of quarantine.
The World Health Organization revealed that the double mutant COVID-19 variant first detected in India has been found in at least 44 countries.
The UN health agency reported that the B.1.617 variant of COVID-19 had been detected in more than 4,500 samples coming from 44 countries or six WHO regions.
“And WHO has received reports of detections from five additional countries,” it said in a statement.
Apart from India, Britain also has the most number of cases with the Indian variant.
The WHO declared B.1.617 also reclassified as a “variant of concern” or a global health threat.
The B.1.617, has been found in preliminary studies to spread more easily than the original virus.
