Travel ban to restrict spread of United kingdom Covid variant impacts 1000’s of OFWs
All over 6,000 abroad Filipino workers (OFW) have been affected by the travel limitations implemented by the government for nations that claimed new cases of the British isles Covid-19 variant.
This range could nevertheless raise following Malacañang’s extension of vacation limitations, as the United kingdom variant of Covid-19, B117 proceeds to spread in more countries.
In a radio job interview, the Overseas Staff Welfare Administration (OWWA) it has started sending dwelling the some of the 5,900 quarantined OFWs, who analyzed adverse for Covid-19, on Thursday.
OFWs, who ended up mandated to endure obligatory 14-day quarantine because Dec. 30, 2020.
“These ended up the kinds who arrived from the 28 nations, which have the Uk variant,” OWWA Administrator Hans Cacdac claimed.
He said this will aid them decongest their accommodations for OFWs.
Possible growth and extension
The list of countries with journey constraints have been afterwards expanded to 32 nations. At the moment, there is a proposal to involve the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the checklist immediately after a Filipino, who traveled there analyzed good for B117.
Health and fitness Secretary Francisco Duque III explained they were being not able included UAE in the list considering the fact that it did not report to have any B117 circumstance.
“But now, we have the proof to explain to them, you have the United kingdom variant,” Duque mentioned.
He said their proposal to impose journey restriction for international vacationers in UAE will only choose impact after it its authorized by the Inter-Agency Task Pressure on Rising Infectious Conditions (IATF).
Exemption
The existing vacation restriction is meant to expire on Jan. 15, 2021, but Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque mentioned the IATF is probably to extend its period.
Roque now advised foreign travelers from the the 32 countries, who are bound for Philippines to defer paying for plane tickets owing to the expected extension.
“The travel restriction imposed by the President is matter to extension on approval of the IATF,” Roque mentioned.
Roque, on the other hand, confident Filipino vacationers will continue being exempted from the travel restriction, but will nonetheless be mandated to beneath the 14-day quarantine.
The two the inclusion of UAE as nicely as the extension of the period of the vacation restriction were being reviewed in the IATF meeting on Thursday. As of press time, the IATF has but to determine on the both of those proposals.