Published January 7, 2021, 2:33 PM
Lawmakers welcomed Thursday the Duterte government’s creation of a technical working group (TWG) that would focus on the new COVID-19 variants.
House Deputy Speaker and Cagayan de Oro City Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Anakalusugan partylist Rep. Michael Defensor lauded the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) to form a panel that would strengthen the country’s readiness against the new COVID-19 variant from the United Kingdom.
“This is a welcome development. We have to face this new variant immediately, scientifically, and effectively! We have to stop the variant from reaching our shores,” Rodriguez said in a Viber message.
Published January 6, 2021, 11:04 AM
Foreign diplomats and dignitaries will be exempted from entry restrictions imposed on travelers from countries with the new coronavirus variant based on the latest decision of the government pandemic task force.
A security officer (L) walks past empty check-in counters at the airport in Manila on August 4, 2020 (Photo by Ted ALJIBE / AFP / MANILA BULLETIN)
These foreign visitors, however, must still undergo testing and quarantine protocols upon arrival in the country, according to Resolution No. 92 issued by Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).
The government had earlier prohibited the entry of all foreign travelers coming from 21 countries/jurisdictions affected by the new COVID-19 strain until Jan. 15.
Department of Health Undersecretary and Spokesperson Ma. Rosario Vergeire (FILE PHOTO)
Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, January 6) Department of Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire has been named as head of a group of experts tasked to study new COVID-19 variants and suggest policies to the country s coronavirus task force.
In a statement, Malacañang said the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases on Tuesday created the Technical Working Group (TWG) on COVID-19 Variants upon the order of President Rodrigo Duterte. This Technical Working Group will monitor and identify the occurrence of new variants of COVID-19 in the country and will provide policy recommendations to the IATF on the appropriate response regarding these variants, the Office of the Presidential Spokesperson said.