Philippines bans passenger flights from Hong Kong due to Omicron variant

By Prince Golez

Inbound flights from Hong Kong have also been suspended after the detection of the B.1.1.529 coronavirus variant in the territory, National Task Force Against Covid-19 Spokesperson Restituto Padilla said Sunday.

Earlier, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) imposed a temporary suspension of inbound international flights from South Africa, Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Eswatini, and Mozambique due to Omicron.

“Matapos na nagkaroon ng balita tungkol sa emergence ng panibagong avriant na ito, agaran naman nag activate ang ating National Task Force at ang IATF at ang rekomendasyon ng ating ng mga health experts ay magkaroon ng stringent ng border controls, yung pagbabantay sa ating mga paliparan at saka sa ating mga seaports,” Padilla said in an interview with DZMM’s Teleradyo.

“Immediately after the detection of this variant, nagkaroon ng resolusyon ang ating IATF na pagpapalawig ng border control na ito kaya simula nung Biyernes ng gabi pinagbawal na ang mga flights ng mga pinanggagalingan ng makabagong variant na ito at kinokontrol natin ang entry from those areas na maaaring may potential infections,” he added.

Padilla said the government has banned travel from Hong Kong, citing the two cases of the variant there.

“We will continue to protect our borders kasi nakakahinayang naman na matagal na nating pag-i-invest sa pagpapababa ng kaso nitong nakaraang linggo sa ating mass vaccination at proteksyon ng ating mga kababayan. Ayaw nating maulit yung mga nagiging surges lalo na nung nagsimula ang pandemiyang ito,” he added.

For his part, acting presidential spokesperson Karlo Nograles said the IATF will release a new resolution on the imposition of travel restrictions on countries or territories where the new Covid-19 variant was reported “within the day.”

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III on Saturday said they already recommended a ban on travelers from Hong Kong to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

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Source: Latest Politics News Today (Politics.com.ph)