PH remains under Alert Level 2 until Jan 15

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  • The entire Philippines remains under Alert Level 2 status vs COVID-19 from January 1 to 15, 2022
  • The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases  also released an updated country risk classification effective January 1 to 15, 2022
  • Countries on the red list are Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Spain

The entire Philippines remains under Alert Level 2 status against COVID-19 from January 1 to 15, 2022, as approved by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF).

Alert Level 2 refers to areas where COVID-19 case transmission is low and decreasing, healthcare utilization is low, or case counts are low but increasing, or case counts are low and decreasing but total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate is increasing.

Intrazonal and interzonal travel will be allowed subject to the reasonable regulations of the local government unit of destination and should not be stricter than those prescribed under higher alert levels.

The establishments and/or activities that will be allowed to operate or be undertaken will be increased to a maximum of 50% indoor venue capacity for fully vaccinated individuals and those below 18 years of age, even if unvaccinated, and 70% outdoor venue capacity.

The alert level system refers to the new community quarantine classifications for dealing with COVID-19, and covers entire cities, municipalities and/or regions with the aim to manage and minimize the risk of disease transmission through the use of system indicators, triggers, and thresholds determined by the IATF.

The IATF likewise released an updated country risk classification effective January 1 to 15, 2022.

Countries on the red list are Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia and Spain.

Those on the green list are Bangladesh, Benin, Bhutan, British Virgin Islands, China (Mainland), Cote d’ Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Falkland Islands (Malvinas), Fiji, The Gambia, Guinea, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Liberia, Montserrat, Oman, Pakistan, Paraguay, Rwanda, Saba (Special Municipality of the Kingdom of the Netherlands), Saint Barthelemy, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Sint Eustatius, Taiwan, Timor-Leste (East Timor), Togo, Uganda and United Arab Emirates.

All other countries/territories /jurisdictions not included in the red or green lists are on the yellow list.

Green list countries and jurisdictions are considered as low risk for COVID-19 based on their disease incidence rate, while those on the yellow list are classified as moderate risk. Countries and jurisdictions on the red list are considered high risk.

The IATF, upon the recommendation of the Department of Foreign Affairs, also approved the acceptance/recognition for purposes of arrival quarantine protocols as well as for interzonal/intrazonal movement the national COVID-19 vaccination certificates of Armenia, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Kuwait, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Thailand, US, and Oman.

This is in addition to such other countries/territories/ jurisdictions whose proofs of vaccination have already been approved by the IATF for recognition in the Philippines, without prejudice to such other proofs of vaccination approved by the IATF for all inbound travelers.

In this connection, the Bureau of Quarantine, Department of Transportation–One Stop Shop and the Bureau of Immigration have been directed to recognize only the proofs of vaccination thus approved by the IATF.