TAGBILARAN CITY, Bohol, Dec. 4 (PIA) -- As long as they are accompanied by fully vaccinated parents or guardians, children 11 years old and below are now exempted from the nasopharyngeal swab when they travel to Bohol.

This according to Executive Order No. 52-B series of 2021, which Gov. Arthur Yap signed on Nov. 26, 2021.

The new E.O. is an amendment to two previous executive orders which lifted the mandatory requirement of a negative COVID-19 test result through Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) assay for fully vaccinated individuals who are entering Bohol.

The said executive orders officially mandated that travelers to Bohol need to present their vaccination cards issued by their respective local government units, Department of Health (DOH) or their accredited medical institution, private company, foreign country or any state, province as long as these are authenticated by the DOH-Bureau of Quarantine.

Other than this, the said executive Orders also mandates the presentation of a government-issued identification card and a valid S-pass travel document, which may be pending or approved.

For the unvaccinated individuals, E.O. No. 52-B says a negative test result by RT PCR taken 72 hours prior to travel is needed, and that children four years old and below are exempted from such requirement.

Earlier, the national Inter Agency Task Force on the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases in its Resolution No. 148-F, classified Bohol under Alert Level 2.

The IAFT did this noting the drastic decrease in COVID-19 cases in Bohol in the past two months.

In view of this, the governor saw the need to further relax the travel protocols to Bohol to encourage travel and jumpstart the local economy.

Provincial Tourism Council Chairman Atty. Lucas Nunag believes the relaxed travel requirements could push more parents to get the vaccines as this allows them to travel with their children who now are excluded from the RT-PCR tests. (RAHC/PIA7 Bohol)