The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) approved Thursday a new set of testing and quarantine protocols for arriving travelers not coming from the red list category.
The IATF said that the new policy will be effective beginning Friday, December 3.
The protocols now include requiring fully vaccinated individuals to present negative results of reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) tests conducted 72 hours before leaving the country of origin.
“For fully vaccinated individuals, they shall be required to have a negative RT-PCR test conducted within 72 hours prior to departure from the country of origin,” Cabinet Secretary and Acting Presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said in a press statement.
“Upon arrival in the Philippines, they shall undergo facility-based quarantine with an RT-PCR test taken on the 5th day, with the date of arrival being the first day,” he added.
The IATF added that even if their result is negative, they will have to continue their quarantine at home until the 14th day.
Previous quarantine rules only require travelers to self-monitor upon their arrival.
Unvaccinated travelers or those who are partially vaccinated also need to present negative RT-PCR test results taken 72 hours before leaving the country of origin.
They will be tested on the seventh instead of the fifth day.
The IATF said the children or adolescents will follow the rules that apply to the guardian accompanying them.
Those who have already arrived will follow the existing protocols when they arrived in the country.
