There should be universal vaccine cards that prove that the COVID-19 vaccine is complete and recognized even abroad.
Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque announced this after it was reported that the Hong Kong government allegedly did not recognize the vaccine cards of overseas Filipino workers issued by local government units.
According to Roque, to his knowledge, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) is already working. He has urged the Department of Health to work with the World Health Organization to have standard vaccination cards accepted by all.
Roque also suggested using the yellow quarantine book provided by the Bureau of Quarantine that can be used when leaving the country.
Roque also promised that he would refer the issue to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the issuance of vaccination cards that will be recognized abroad, like his yellow card.
Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Hong Kong does not accept the vaccination cards issued in the Philippines.
“Our vaccination cards are not accepted in Hong Kong because they are not connected to a single source. Poor OFWs (overseas Filipino workers) going to their jobs in Hong Kong even if jabbed,” Locsin said in a tweet on Tuesday.
Roque proposes universal vaccine cards
Health Undersecretary Myrna Cabotaje earlier said the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) and the Bureau of Quarantine are working to generate a digitized vaccination card.
She said digitized vaccine cards could be issued by the end of August or in September.
The Philippine government had coordinated with the World Health Organization (WHO) for the COVID-19 vaccination international verification system guidelines.
In February, Senator Grace Poe filed Senate Bill 1994 or the proposed “Vaccine Passport Act,” which urges the government to create policies for proper recording of the vaccine administration.
“Parang talaan ito kung saan dapat nakalagay kung anong bakuna ang binigay sa inyo at kailan, at sino ang nagbigay,” she said.
Vaccine Passport Act states that the vaccine record will contain the types and purposes of vaccines received by the holder, the batch numbers the vaccines belong to, dates administered, and the persons and institutions that administered the inoculation.
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