Vaccination Passport

[JJReyes]

Any plans for the Philippine government to accept the vaccination passport being discussed by international tourism and trade associations like IATA?  My wife and I are qualified to receive the vaccine.  Our preference is an appointment with our health care provider rather than standing in a county health facility walk-in line.  It should happen sometime soon.  After receiving two shots and waiting a couple of weeks, we would like to plan a trip.  One possibility is a long stay vacation in the Philippines now that several restrictions were lifted February 1st.  However, we don't want to undergo constant Covid-19 testing as we move around to different provinces.  The vaccination passport hopefully eliminates some of the bureaucracy requirements and paperwork.

[Mike J]

2 minutes ago, JJReyes said:

The vaccination passport hopefully eliminates some of the bureaucracy requirements and paperwork.

As the Everly brothers used to sing:

Dream, dream, dream, dream
Dream, dream, dream, dream 

 

[BrettGC]

2 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Any plans for the Philippine government to accept the vaccination passport being discussed by international tourism and trade associations like IATA?  My wife and I are qualified to receive the vaccine.  Our preference is an appointment with our health care provider rather than standing in a county health facility walk-in line.  It should happen sometime soon.  After receiving two shots and waiting a couple of weeks, we would like to plan a trip.  One possibility is a long stay vacation in the Philippines now that several restrictions were lifted February 1st.  However, we don't want to undergo constant Covid-19 testing as we move around to different provinces.  The vaccination passport hopefully eliminates some of the bureaucracy requirements and paperwork.

I've been looking for something on this as well JJ, nothing I can find so far.  As things stand, it's quarantine for 14 days upon entry to the country and and the same if you move between islands.  My step-daughter is getting ready to move from Cebu back to Dumaguete and there's no way around the 14 day quarantine even for that move.  

[scott h]

2 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Any plans for the Philippine government to accept the vaccination passport

 

9 minutes ago, BrettGC said:

I've been looking for something on this as well JJ,

I do not have a link, but remember reading in the paper that for the near future, even if folks have been vaccinated they will still be required to take a test at the airport, go to a quarantine hotel, get tested again 5 days later and upon a second negative they may proceed to their home to complete a 14 day Q.

The reason given is that all the vaccines are under emergency authorization, and it is not know if a vaccinated person might still spread the virus.

[Terry P]

1 hour ago, BrettGC said:

I've been looking for something on this as well JJ, nothing I can find so far.  As things stand, it's quarantine for 14 days upon entry to the country and and the same if you move between islands.  My step-daughter is getting ready to move from Cebu back to Dumaguete and there's no way around the 14 day quarantine even for that move.  

It's ok if you're a penguin

You can go anywhere with impunity

[Guy F.]

16 hours ago, JJReyes said:

Any plans for the Philippine government to accept the vaccination passport being discussed by international tourism and trade associations like IATA?  My wife and I are qualified to receive the vaccine.  Our preference is an appointment with our health care provider rather than standing in a county health facility walk-in line.  It should happen sometime soon.  After receiving two shots and waiting a couple of weeks, we would like to plan a trip.  One possibility is a long stay vacation in the Philippines now that several restrictions were lifted February 1st.  However, we don't want to undergo constant Covid-19 testing as we move around to different provinces.  The vaccination passport hopefully eliminates some of the bureaucracy requirements and paperwork.

I share that hope. If travel restrictions in the Philippines are not largely eliminated for vaccinated people by the end of this year I will start thinking about packing up my balls and bat and going home.

Edited February 8, 2021 by Guy F.

[JJReyes]

I believe the Philippines arrival requirements changed effective February 1, 2021.  The swab test is no longer done at the airport.  The test is administered at your quarantine hotel on the 6th day and you are released the next day if the test is negative.  You are required to pre-book the hotel either six or seven nights (there is some confusion as to the exact number).  Balikbayan arrivals are okay as well as spouses and children of Filipinos.  Testing is still a requirement for domestic tourism.  For example, before visiting Boracay.

 

[Mike J]

Here is an article that says the Philippines will issue a vaccine passport.  But I think the question is how useful will it be for non-Philippine travel?  Will it even be recognized by other countries?  Will the Philippines recognize a vaccine passport from other countries?  I think that WHO and/or the European Union will need to come to some agreement on a universal vaccine passport that is acceptable to other countries.  Or possibly an holographic type stamp that goes into existing travel passport? 

https://newsinfo.inquirer.net/1383971/govt-to-issue-covid-19-vaccine-passports-doh

MANILA, Philippines — Filipinos who will be vaccinated against the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) will be issued vaccine passports by the Philippine government, the Department of Health (DOH) said Friday.

“Itong vaccine passport na ito, meron po tayo. Magkakaroon po tayo ng ganyan, and as we have said in the previous na mga pag-uusap, magkakaroon po tayo ng data registry for all recipients,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said in an online press briefing.

(We will have a vaccine passport, and as we have said in previous talks, we will have a data registry for all recipients.)

According to Vergeire, a QR code will be given to every individual who would be vaccinated against COVID-19.

“This would be something of a unique identifier for a specific person who will receive the vaccine, and dito magkakaroon din po sila ng card na nagsasabi na sila ay nabakunahan, either with one dose or two doses. This will serve as their certificate that they have been vaccinated,” she added.

(This will be a unique identifier for a specific person who will receive the vaccine, and they will have a card that will indicate that they have been vaccinated, either with one or two doses.)

Vergeire said she believes that the vaccine passport, once it is widely implemented, will be part of protocols for border control in different countries.

In December last year, Ang Probinsyano party-list Rep. Ronnie Ong filed House Bill No. 8280, or the Vaccination Passport Act, which seeks the issuance of vaccine passports for those who will receive vaccine shots during the country’s mass vaccination program against COVID-19 and other infectious diseases.

 

[Guy F.]

23 hours ago, TerryP said:

It's ok if you're a penguin

You can go anywhere with impunity

Tell that to the sharks and orcas.

[hk blues]

Personally, I'd be taking things a little slower on the whole vaccination passport thing - the picture is changing with regard to the efficacy of existing vaccines i.e. the S.A. variant for example which surely throws into doubt the value of specific vaccines in the longer term.  For the avoidance of doubt, I'm a fan of the vaccines but cannot see how we can safely say certain vaccines are sufficient to allow safe international travel when this may depend on numerous variables.  It may need a passport which is updated frequently as things change/develop.