To prevent a disastrous outbreak of the pandemic due to the Indian variant of COVID-19, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III wants stricter border controls for travelers coming from the Middle East.
The health official said he would recommend this to the Inter-Agency Task Force in the wake of the Indian variant or B1617 having been detected in two Filipinos who arrived from the UAE and Oman.
The Philippine Embassy in the UAE released an advisory earlier this week that all OFWs arriving in the Philippines will be required to undergo a 10-day quarantine either at a government-owned facility or at a hotel.
They will also be asked to do 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.
On Tuesday, the DOH had announced that the B1617 had entered the Philippines.
The so-called triple mutant variant is believed to have wreaked devastation in India, turning it into the global hotspot of the pandemic.
