Barely two days after amending an Executive Order on point-to-point travel, the provincial government of Catanduanes may have to change it again after the travel rules were relaxed for the interzonal travel for fully-vaccinated persons, including senior citizens.
Pursuant to IATF Resolution No. 124-B issued last week, travelers between different quarantine zones who are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus disease are only required to present proof of complete COVID-19 vaccination instead of negative test results.
An individual is only considered fully vaccinated two weeks after he received the second dose of the two-dose jab or the one-dose vaccine, provided the vaccine administered is one of those given an emergency use authorization or a Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration or is among those on the World Health Organization’s Emergency Use Listing.
The new rules on interzonal travel also apply to fully vaccinated senior citizens, who can not move between provinces and cities under different community quarantine classifications.
The traveler needs only to present a COVID-19 domestic vaccination card signed by a legitimate vaccinating establishment, or certificate of quarantine completion showing the holder’s vaccination status issued by the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ), as a sufficient alternative to any testing requirement required by the local government destination before travel or upon arrival.
However, they would have to undergo health and exposure screening protocols upon arrival at their destinations.
The relaxed IATF rules comes just two days after the provincial government amended Executive Order No. 24-A which exempted APORs from national government agencies from submitting negative test results and undergoing quarantine.
The amended order clarified that NGA APORs must still apply for a Travel Coordination Permit through the S-PaSS system to ensure coordination with LGUs.
The change came after the Bicol IATF chairman Atty. Anthony Nuyda called for the requirement in order to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 in the island through coordinated travel management.
The same amended order also made a negative RT-PCR test result as a requirement for all other travelers, including private and non-NGA APORs, LSIs and ROFs, regardless of their origin’s quarantine classification, along with other documents and the S-PaSS account.
June’s 211 new COVID cases highest in 12 months
Meanwhile, data shows that he total of 211 new COVID-19 cases recorded in the month of June 2021 is the highest within the past year, eclipsing the 170 for the month of May.
The same data provided by the Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development Bicol showed that June 29th brought in 19 new cases, followed by six on June 30, six more on July 1, seven on July 2 and 20 last Saturday, July 3.
The new cases in the last week are in Virac with 24, Bagamanoc with 11, Viga with 10, Caramoran with four, Bato and San Miguel with three each, Pandan with two and San Andres with one.
The total of 211 new COVID-19 cases recorded in the month of June 2021 is the highest within the past year, eclipsing the 170 for the month of May.
The same data provided by the Department of Health (DOH) Center for Health Development Bicol showed that June 29th brought in 19 new cases, followed by six on June 30, six more on July 1, seven on July 2 and 20 last Saturday, July 3.
The new cases in the last week are in Virac with 24, Bagamanoc with 11, Viga with 10, Caramoran with four, Bato and San Miguel with three each, Pandan with two and San Andres with one.
More than 60 percent of the new cases belong to the 21 to 50 years old age group, the data showed.
Although the week’s total came up to only 58, ten less than that for the period June 20 to 28, the attack rate or the number of active cases per 100,000 population, increased as the number of active cases rose to 147.
From the previous week’s daily attack rates that hovered in the forties, a new high was reached last July 3 at 53.45, the DOH-CHD report stated.
Although the week’s total came up to only 58, ten less than that for the period June 20 to 28, the attack rate or the number of active cases per 100,000 population, increased as the number of active cases rose to 147.
From the previous week’s daily attack rates that hovered in the forties, a new high was reached last July 3 at 53.45, the DOH-CHD report stated.
The Provincial Health Office, however, had a lower number of active cases as of July 2 with 110, so the active cases by Saturday can come up to a maximum of 130 only.