DOH to base travel ban on community transmission of new COVID-19 variant

The Department of Health (DOH) will base its recommendation for travel bans on confirmed community transmissions of the new COVID-19 variant.

Senator Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go urged for stricter border control and travel restrictions to prevent the entry of the new coronavirus variant first discovered in the United Kingdom.

Go emphasized the need for the Philippines to be prepared and not wait for the variant to spread within the country.

He suggested implementing a ban on countries with recorded cases of the new variant, stating it is better to be safe than sorry.

Countries like Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, and Japan have recorded cases of the new coronavirus variant.

President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the travel ban from the United Kingdom for another two weeks, which will end on December 31, 2020.