(Eagle News) – In view of the Delta variant transmission in the country, the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has temporarily suspended the shortened quarantine protocol in the Philippines for fully vaccinated persons who are identified as close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Because of this, fully vaccinated close contacts would also be placed under a 14-day quarantine period, the same as other close contacts.
“The decision to temporarily suspend said protocol is part of the continued implementation of proactive measures to slow down the surge in COVID-19 cases and to stop the further spread of the variants,” Malacanang said in a release on Wednesday, Aug. 11.
The 14 day quarantine period for close contact of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases is indicated in the Department of Health Memorandum no. 2020-0512, also known as the Revised Interim Omnibus Guidelines on the Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration Strategies for COVID-19, issued on November 26, 2020.
“Close contacts who remain asymptomatic for at least 14 days from the date of exposure can discontinue their quarantine. In the event that they develop symptoms or test positive for coronavirus, they shall be isolated and shall be admitted and treated in an appropriate facility,” Malacanang said.
Close contacts are defined as those who have exposure during the 2 days before and the 14 days after the onset of symptoms of the probable or confirmed case through the following:
– face-to-face contact within 1 meter and for at least 15 minutes;
– direct physical contact;
– direct care for a patient without using personal protective equipment, or other situations as indicated by local risk assessments.
It was last July 2 that the IATF allowed fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts of COVID cases to have a shortened seven-day quarantine period, provided they remain asymptomatic for the duration of the 7-day period. This was contained in Paragraph C of IATF Resolution No. 124-B series of 2021.
On Wednesday, Aug. 11, the Palace announced that this protocol is suspended due to the ongoing transmission of the highly infections and aggressive Delta variant.
(Eagle News Service)
