Gov't extends UK flight ban to Jan 15 amid new COVID variant concerns

The Philippine government has extended the temporary suspension of flights from, and the prohibition of entry of travelers coming from or transiting through the United Kingdom until January 15, 2021.

This travel ban covers 20 countries including Denmark, Ireland, Japan, Australia, Israel, the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Switzerland, France, Germany, Iceland, Italy, Lebanon, Singapore, Sweden, South Korea, South Africa, Canada, Spain, and the UK, and is effective from December 30, 2020, 12:01 am until January 15, 2021.

Filipino citizens arriving from any of the listed countries are allowed entry but are now required to undergo a 14-day quarantine at a designated government facility, even with a negative RT-PCR test result.

Foreigners from these countries who are already in transit will be allowed entry but will also undergo a 14-day facility-based quarantine, irrespective of their test results.

The government will provide free accommodation for the mandatory quarantine, but passengers may opt for accredited hotels at their own expense.

Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific Air will stop flying foreigners from these countries to prevent the entry of a new, more contagious coronavirus variant.

President Rodrigo Duterte approved these recommendations due to concerns over the new, faster-spreading coronavirus variant.