Barangay Poblacion of Kalibo town is currently looking to implement a 21-day quarantine for returning residents who are considered Locally Stranded Individuals (LSIs) or Returning Overseas Filipinos (ROFs) residents of the community.
According to Barangay Kagawad Mark Sy, they are currently studying its implementation in liaison with the Department of Health, Municipal Health Office, and local Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases.
Kalibo is said to be concerned about the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in their area.
According to the Department of Health, a ROF was reported in the neighboring province of Iloilo who tested positive for the UK COVID-19 variant.
Based on the proposal, the LSI or ROF will spend 14 days in the quarantine facility and the remaining seven days will be spent in their respective homes.
According to the Provincial Epidemiology Service Unit as of January 26, 2021, there have been 594 COVID-19 cases in the province.
Of that number, 20 were killed, 60 were active cases and others have been recovered.
Gov’t to implement new quarantine protocols
Meanwhile, the Philippines would be implementing new COVID-19 testing guidelines and quarantine measures for travelers arriving in the Philippines starting February 1.
The revised protocols are part of the country’s move to prevent the spread of more infectious variants of the coronavirus.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Wednesday that arriving passengers, regardless of their origin, will be required to undergo facility-based quarantine upon arrival. He added it was the decision of the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) made on Tuesday.
RT-PCR tests would no longer be upon arrival but on the fifth day from their date of arrival in the country unless the traveler shows symptoms before the date of testing.
Those who would test negative for COVID-19 would be endorsed to their respective local government units, but would still have to finish the remainder of their 14-day quarantine.
“Appropriate patient management shall be observed,” Roque said.
The government implemented a travel ban on foreign passengers from 35 countries as a precautionary measure against the new COVID-19 variants. The travel restrictions would be until January 31 unless further extended.