Philippines set to reopen to vaccinated foreign tourists

The Philippines will soon allow the entry of fully-vaccinated foreign tourists from China and over 40 other "green" or Covid-19 low-risk countries and regions, Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles has said.

Nograles, the co-chair of the interagency coronavirus task force, said on Friday that the government is still finalising the guidelines, including the exact date for the reopening.

He told a virtual press conference that the decision to "open up our shores" to foreign tourists from safe places is part of the country's "calibrated reopening of the economy."

The cabinet secretary said the tourism sector significantly contributes to the economy and allowing foreign tourists will help the country rebound from the pandemic, reports AP.

The Philippines' Department of Health reported 1,485 new Covid-19 infections on Friday, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the Southeast Asian country to 2,823,210.

The health department also reported that 277 more people died from COVID-19 complications, bringing the country's death toll to 46,698.

The Philippines, which has around 110 million population, has tested more than 22 million people since the pandemic.