NTF adviser suggests review of green list countries amid Omicron variant

The National Task Force Against COVID-19 adviser Dr. Ted Herbosa on Sunday suggested the government to undergo a review of green list countries that may be detected with the Omicron variant, which was named a variant of concern by the World Health Organization.

Herbosa made the suggestion after he was asked if the government should reconsider allowing foreigners who are allowed to stay in the country without a visa from Dec. 1 to Dec 15. 

"Dapat bantayan ang reports ng mga ibang bansa at i-reclassify sila. Kasi maraming nasa green list countries so kailangang gawin ibabalik sila sa red list or yellow list... Isa-isa na nagre-report ang mga bansa sa Europa na na may nade-detect sila na Omicron variant," Herbosa pointed out during a Super Radyo dzBB interview, adding that there are already strict quarantine measures in place.

(We need to monitor other countries and reclassify them. There are many green list countries so we need to return some of them to the red list or yellow list. One by one, European countries are now detecting the Omicron variant.)

The new variant of the coronavirus has so far been detected in South Africa, United Kingdom, Italy, Belgium, Botswana, Hong Kong, Italy, Germany and Israel.

The Philippines had placed 44 countries under the green list or those that are at low-risk for COVID-19 transmission. 

However, it recently removed South Africa, Namibia and Zimbabwe from the green list because of the recorded local cases or likelihood of detecting the new coronavirus variant. 

Herbosa on Friday said Hong Kong should also be placed on the yellow or red list following the detection of the new variant in the territory. 

Health Secretary on Saturday Francisco Duque III on Saturday said the Department of Health (DOH) has recommended a ban on travelers from Hong Kong after the detection in the territory of the Omicron variant.

DOH Health Promotion Bureau/ Disease Prevention and Control Bureau Director Dr. Beverly Ho on Saturday said she believes believes the Omicron variant will eventually enter the Philippines as it is impossible for the country to permanently close its borders.

Meanwhile, Herbosa said experts are still looking into the effect of the Omicron variant on COVID-19 vaccines.

"May effect pa rin ang bakuna, 'di siguro as high. Hindi natin alam. Maghihintay pa tayo para malaman sa report kung ano epekto ng existing na bakuna diyan sa Omicron variant," the government adviser said.

(Vaccines are still effective, maybe not as high. But we have yet to know about that. We are waiting for reports if the Omicron variant can affect the vaccines.)

Despite this, Herbosa recommended that Filipinos should still get vaccinated.

According to Department of Health data, there are 35 million Filipinos who are fully vaccinated versus COVID-19 or 45% of the target adult population. —KG, GMA News