Malacañang on Wednesday announced that the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) has temporarily suspended the shortened testing and quarantine protocol for fully vaccinated close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases.

In a statement, Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the protocol, which is contained in Paragraph C of IATF Resolution No. 124-B series of 2021 issued last July 2, states that fully vaccinated individuals may undergo a shortened 7-day quarantine period, provided they remain asymptomatic for the duration of the 7-day period.

"The decision to temporarily suspend said protocol is part of the continued implementation of proactive measures to slow down the surge in COVID-19 cases and to stop the further spread of the variants," Roque said.

"With this suspension, the testing and quarantine protocols of fully vaccinated individuals shall comply with the Department of Health Department Memorandum No. 2020-0512, or the Revised Interim Omnibus Guidelines on the Prevention, Detection, Isolation, Treatment, and Reintegration Strategies for COVID-19, issued on November 26, 2020," he added.

Roque said the DOH memorandum states that all close contacts of probable and confirmed cases and travelers shall be placed under a 14-day quarantine period.

Close contacts who remain asymptomatic for at least 14 days from the date of exposure can discontinue their quarantine.

If they develop symptoms or test positive for coronavirus, they shall be isolated and shall be admitted and treated in an appropriate facility.

"The abovementioned DOH memorandum defines close contacts as having exposure during the two days before and the 14 days after the onset of symptoms of the probable or confirmed case through the following: face-to-face contact within one meter and for at least 15 minutes, direct physical contact, direct care for a patient without using personal protective equipment, or other situations as indicated by local risk assessments," he said. Ella Dionisio/DMS