Bohol gov't lifts some health protocols following decrease in COVID-19 cases

TAGBILARAN CITY - Travelers entering Bohol province are no longer required to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result for the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

In his Executive Order No. 52 released on Friday, Bohol Governor Arthur Yap said negative RT-PCR test result will be no longer required upon arrival in Bohol starting on Oct. 25.

The announcement came following a steady decline in COVID-19 cases in the province.

Yap said during the Bohol Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) meeting on Friday, October 22, 2021 with mayors, Bohol IATF Medical Task Group and the Department of Interior and Local Government Unit  (DILG), it was recommended to lift the requirement of negative RT-PCR Test result to fully vaccinated individuals upon its entry to Bohol instead, only a vaccination certificate fully authenticated and validated by the Department of Health and Bureau of Quarantine through its website vaxcert. doh. gov. ph.

The new executive order applied only to fully vaccinated individuals including more than or equal to 2 weeks after having received the second dose in a dose 2-dose series, or more than or equal to 2 weeks after having received a sing-dose vaccine. The vaccines administered to the individual are included in any of the following: Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) List or compassionate Special Permit (CSP) issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration, or  Emergency Use listing of the World Health Organization.

For international arriving passengers (ROF and Foreign Nationals), the provisions under IATF-EID Resolution No 143, Series of 2021 shall apply.

Non-vaccinated and partially-vaccinated individuals shall present a valid RT-PCR negative test result taken not more than 72 hours prior to his/her departure to Bohol.

Any individual caught using a fake RT-PCR, vaccination certificate and S-Pass will be fined P5,000.00 and will be quarantined for five days in a DOT-accredited quarantine facility at his/her own expense.

It added that the violator will be required to undergo RT-PCR testing on the 5th day and only when his/her result turns negative will he/she be released. All expenses incurred will be paid by the violator

Last March 2021, Yap undersigned issued Executive Order No. 17 directing all individuals who wish to travel to Bohol to present a negative RT-PCR test result administered not more than 72 hours before departure.

As of Oct. 22, Bohol has 508 active cases out of the province’s total 19, 485 with 542 deaths. -- BAP, GMA News