TORONTO -- Philipine President Rodrigo Duterte imposed a new travel ban on Tuesday, barring travellers from Canada and 19 other countries from entering the country until at least mid-January in an effort to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus variant.
The Philippine government previously issued a prohibition of entry on all travellers and a temporary 14-day suspension of all flights coming from the U.K. on Dec. 23. That travel ban has been extended until Jan. 15 and now includes 19 other countries, including Canada, Spain, Italy, Germany and France – all countries who have reported cases of the new variant.
Passengers who were already on their way to the Philippines when the travel ban was issued will not be barred from entering the country, but they will be required to undergo an “an absolute facility-based 14-day quarantine period notwithstanding a negative [COVID-19 test] result,” according to a government memorandum.
Filipino citizens who wish to travel to countries with the reported new variants will be required to follow existing exit protocols put in place by the Philippine government, as well as entry protocols of the respective countries they wish to travel to.
The government says it may impose additional restrictions on travellers coming from other countries that report the presence of the new variant as recommended by the Department of Health.
With files from Reuters.
