Philippines Extends Travel Ban on Flights From Britain Amid Virus Variant Fear

The Philippines on Saturday decided to extend the travel ban for flights from Britain for another two weeks until mid-January to ensure that the new COVID-19 strain found in Britain will not enter the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte made the decision after meeting with the inter-agency COVID-19 task force to discuss the implications of the new strain to his country's efforts to contain the disease.

The Philippines has initially suspended flights from Britain to the country starting on Dec. 24 until Dec. 31.

Duterte approved a strict mandatory 14-day quarantine period for people coming from places with the confirmed new variant.

Duterte also approved the recommendation of the task force to consider travel restrictions from places with local community transmission of the new variant.