People wear face masks amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in Milan, Italy, November 28, 2021. REUTERS/Flavio Lo Scalzo
MANILA, Philippines — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Wednesday questioned the inclusion of Italy in the Philippines’ “red list,” which was updated amid the looming threat of the Omicron COVID-19 variant.
“WHY IS ITALY ON THE RED LIST? On the basis of the WHO Report of November 28, 2021, that there is ONE SOLITARY case of infection, IATF’s (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) Data Analytics Group extrapolated a surge,” Locsin said in a tweet.
On Nov. 28, Italy and six other countries were added to the Philippines’ “red list” or list of areas considered as high-risk for COVID-19.
“Our famously warm relations with Italy went down the drain. I want a reconsideration based on science,” he added.
WHY IS ITALY ON THE RED LIST? On the basis of the WHO Report of November 28, 2021 that there is ONE SOLITARY case of infection, IATF’s Data Analytics Group extrapolated a surge. Our famously warm relations with Italy went down the drain. I want a reconsideration based on science.
— Teddy Locsin Jr. (@teddyboylocsin) December 1, 2021
The National Health Institute earlier said a case of the new Omicron variant in Italy was detected in Milan in a person coming from Mozambique.
Aside from Italy, countries such as Austria, Czech Republic, Hungary, Netherlands, Switzerland, Belgium were also recently included in the list. Travel curbs in these countries will remain until December 15.
Inbound international travel of all persons, regardless of vaccination status, coming from or who had been to the “red list” countries and territories within the last 14 days prior to arrival to any port of the Philippines would not be allowed, according to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, IATF co-chair and spokesperson.
Only Filipinos returning to the country through government-initiated or non-government-initiated repatriation and Bayanihan flights may be allowed entry subject to the prevailing entry, testing, and quarantine protocols for countries under the red list.