IATF approved updated policies on COVID-19 quarantine, isolation, testing —Año

The Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases has approved the revised guidelines on COVID-19 quarantine, isolation, and testing, Interior Secretary Eduardo Año said Wednesday.

“These are approved by IATF,” he told GMA News Online in a message.

Año, who is also the  IATF vice chairperson, the updated policies include shorter quarantine and isolation periods as well as optional testing for COVID-19.

Isolation

For positive mild cases or symptomatic probable cases, they have to undergo a seven-day isolation from the onset of symptoms if fully vaccinated, and 10-day isolation if partially vaccinated or unvaccinated.

For positive asymptomatic cases, they have to undergo a seven-day isolation from the date of test if fully vaccinated, and 10-day isolation if partially vaccinated or unvaccinated.

For positive moderate cases, they have to undergo a 10-day isolation from the onset of symptoms regardless of vaccination status.

For positive severe and critical cases, they have to undergo a 21-day isolation from the onset of symptoms regardless of vaccination status.

For positive immunocompromised cases, they have to undergo a 21-day isolation from the onset of symptoms regardless of vaccination status. Their RT-PCR test should also yield negative results.

Quarantine

For asymptomatic close contacts, they should undergo a five-day quarantine from the date of exposure if fully vaccinated, and 14-day quarantine if partially vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Fully vaccinated asymptomatic close contacts may reintegrate if they showed no symptoms for five days, while those unvaccinated need to show no symptoms for 14 days.

Based on the revised guidelines, asymptomatic close contacts do not need to undergo COVID-19 testing to reintegrate.

These revised guidelines would apply to the general public and healthcare workers.

However, for healthcare workers, further shortening of isolation and quarantine periods for those fully vaccinated and boosted will depend on the discretion of the concerned hospital committee and local health office. —Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News