U.S. Arrivals Banned Starting Jan. 3 Due to New COVID Variant

The U.S. is now also included in the Philippines' arrival ban after America confirmed its first case of a new COVID-19 variant that spreads more easily, Malacañang said Friday.

Foreign passengers coming from the U.S. or who have been there within 14 days preceding arrival in the Philippines, will be prohibited from entering the country effective 12:01 a.m. of Jan. 3  until January 15, 2021, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said.

Travelers from the U.S. who will arrive in the Philippines before Jan. 3 will be allowed entry, Roque said, noting that they should undergo a 14-day facility-based quarantine even if they test negative for COVID-19.

The inclusion of the U.S. will bring to 21 the number of countries of origin whose travelers cannot enter the Philippines. It only initially included the UK, where the variant of SARS-CoV-2 was first detected. The list now includes:

• United States
• United Kingdom
• Denmark
• Ireland
• Japan
• Australia
• South Africa
• Israel
• Netherlands
• Canada
• France
• Switzerland
• Hong Kong
• Singapore
• Germany
• Iceland
• Italy
• Spain
• Lebanon
• Sweden
• South Korea

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