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Davao City entry regulations, travel restrictions remain

By Che Palicte

April 23, 2021, 7:33 pm

<p>Davao City Health Office (CHO) acting head Dr. Ashley Lopez.<em> (PNA file photo)</em></p>

Davao City Health Office (CHO) acting head Dr. Ashley Lopez. (PNA file photo)

DAVAO CITY – Despite the decreasing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cases, the city government will continue to implement entry regulations and travel restrictions to prevent the spread of the deadly virus.

In a statement Friday, the acting chief of the City Health Office (CHO) said the city must leave no room for complacency as it slowly recovers from the surge of cases in the past month.

With the vaccination roll-out and the declining number of cases here, Dr. Ashley Lopez said the city's three main entry points, including terminals and checkpoints, are still being monitored to ensure compliance with existing travel protocols.

“What is important is we continue to strengthen and tighten the border restrictions that we are doing in our airports, seaport, land, including in the terminals and checkpoints,” Lopez said.

He also made it clear that vaccination is not a guarantee that a person cannot be infected with the virus.

This is why, Lopez said,  the RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) negative result is still required upon entry from a vaccinated traveler, especially from Luzon or Visayas.

“Receiving a vaccine first or the second dose is not a guarantee that someone won’t be infected. Remember that the indication of the vaccine is to lower down morbidity (again). They should prevent the severity of infection,” Lopez said.

As of April 17, at least 79 people have been apprehended for presenting tampered or fake RT-PCR results at the Davao International Airport. (PNA)

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