Albay lifts test, quarantine conditions for fully vaxxed

By Connie Calipay

The Albay provincial government has lifted the requirements of Covid-19 negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), saliva, and antigen test and the mandatory 14-day quarantine condition for fully vaccinated travelers.

Executive Order (EO) No. 32 issued by Albay Governor Al Francis Bichara recently states that residents and non-residents, including those in transit, shall only be required to present a Covid-19 vaccination card at the borders.

“Fully vaccinated asymptomatic individuals shall be exempted from quarantine and presentation of antigen test results upon entering the province, while unvaccinated or partially vaccinated individuals entering the borders shall be required to present negative antigen test results within 48 hours from the time the specimen was taken,” the EO stated.

Symptomatic individuals shall be turned over to the rural, municipal, or city health units of the local government unit of the final destination.

Establishments and other activities shall be allowed at a maximum of 50 percent capacity for indoor venues for fully vaccinated individuals and 70 percent outdoor venue capacity.

Permitted to operate are venues for meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitors, social events such as parties, wedding receptions, engagement parties, wedding anniversaries, debut and birthday parties, family reunions, and bridal and baby showers.

Tourist attractions such as libraries, archives, museums, galleries, exhibits, parks, plazas, public gardens, scenic viewpoints or overlooks, and amusement parks or theme parks have likewise been permitted to operate.

Recreational venues such as Internet cafes, billiard halls, amusement arcades, bowling alleys, skating rinks, archery halls, swimming pools, and cinema and movie houses have reopened, too.

Limited face-to-face or in-person classes for basic education and higher education, and technical-vocational education and training are subject to prior approval.

Dine-in services of food preparation establishments such as kiosks, commissaries, restaurants, and eateries will be under Department of Trade and Industry sector-specific protocols.

“In all foregoing activities in said establishments, all workers or employees must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19,” Bichara’s EO said. (PNA)