Guimaras to accept fully vaccinated persons

The province of Guimaras will open its doors to individuals fully vaccinated against COVID-19 pursuant to the guidelines issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases.

Governor Samuel T. Gumarin issued Executive Order No. 30, series of 2021 on July 8 further easing border and community containment measures in the province.

Gumarin cited the decline and the downward trend in the number of COVID-19 cases recorded in Guimaras as the reason for the re-calibration of the implemented policies and protocols to arrest the spread of the deadly virus.

Under EO No. 30, only highly essential travels from and into the province shall be permitted and individuals found to be COVID-19 positive and are showing symptoms of the disease are not allowed to enter the Province of Guimaras.

Fully vaccinated returning or visiting persons coming from outside Western Visayas are not required anymore to present a negative RT-PCR test result upon entry.

A COVID-19 domestic vaccination card duly issued by a legitimate vaccinating establishment or a certificate of quarantine completion shall be presented by fully vaccinated individuals for them to be allowed entry into Guimaras.

An individual can be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose of COVID-19 vaccine for two-dose vaccines.

Individuals inoculated with single dose vaccines can be considered fully vaccinated two weeks after he/she received the shot.

Vaccines administered to the individual shall have Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) of the Philippine Food and Drug Administration or Emergency Use Listing (EUL) of the World Health Organization.

Returning or visiting individuals coming outside Western Visayas but are not fully vaccinated yet, shall present a negative RT-PCR test result before they can be permitted to enter the island province.

Residents of the province who are senior citizens and fully vaccinated are now allowed to go out provided they have to present a COVID-19 vaccination card and follow the minimum public health standards.

Fully vaccinated individuals who are “close contacts” of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases will have a shortened quarantined period of seven days provided they remain asymptomatic for the duration of the quarantine period.

However, fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts but have been traced beyond the seventh day from last exposure and who have remained asymptomatic are not required anymore to undergo RT-PCR testing and quarantine.

Meanwhile, the Provincial Government of Guimaras further eased the community containment measures implemented in the province.

All business establishments are now allowed to open except those that are engage in leisure activities.

Dine-in services in food establishments and resorts are allowed up to 25 percent of the venue’s capacity.

However, dine-in services in the Municipality of Buenavista are still suspended.

Business establishments can operate from 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. but pharmacies may open until 6 p.m.

Hospitals and funeral parlors are exempted from the said business hour limitations.

Sea vessels are allowed to operate from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Public utility vehicles may operate from 5 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Mass and social gatherings are still suspended. However, religious gatherings in the municipalities of Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag are allowed up to 25 percent of the venue’s capacity provided the minimum public health standards are strictly observed.

Religious gatherings in Buenavista town are still suspended.

Meeting and/or gatherings initiated by the government as well as the distribution of government grants and subsidies to the residents are allowed.

Residents of the municipalities of Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag are restricted from going to the municipality of Buenavista except for work or work-related transactions, medical reasons and other meritorious grounds as may be determined by the Provincial Government.

The residents of Buenavista are likewise prohibited from going to other municipalities except for work or work-related transactions, medical reasons and other meritorious grounds as may be determined by the Provincial Government.

Punong barangays and head of offices shall be responsible for the issuance of travel pass for these purposes of travel.

Ambulant vendors and peddlers including “bulante” are still suspended.

Residents of Jordan, Nueva Valencia, San Lorenzo and Sibunag are now allowed to enter Jordan Terminal Market at any day within the prescribed time.