Vaccination Cards

An interesting Editorial piece in the Manila Times about vaccination cards, with some points made which apply generally to this country:

https://www.manilatimes.net/2021/08...d-be-free-and-everyone-should-get-one/1811342

I highlighted some interesting points:

"THE slow progress of the government's vaccination campaign against Covid-19 is frustrating but is mostly understandable given the huge challenges in obtaining vaccine supplies and distributing them efficiently. What is neither understandable nor forgivable, however, is that the need for citizens to have a uniform, credible vaccination record apparently did not occur to anyone in authority until last week and that the stopgap solution proposed is being treated as a money-making opportunity by the agency given the responsibility.

Although the somewhat contentious idea of "vaccine passports" has been discussed, albeit unproductively, for some time, the need for citizens to have a reliable record of their vaccinations came to public attention last week when it was reported that Hong Kong was refusing entry to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who presented local government-issued vaccination cards.

At that point, the government hastily arranged for the Bureau of Quarantine (BoQ) to issue the so-called yellow cards - the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis of the World Health Organization (WHO) with the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), explaining that it was "negotiating" with the Hong Kong government for acceptance of the yellow cards as valid proof of vaccination for the meantime until an "official" Philippine government-issued vaccine record is created.

In order to obtain a yellow card, one must apply online through a BoQ-provided website, obtain an appointment, and then visit the BoQ main office or one of its satellite offices set up for the purpose of processing applications in order to receive the card. The BoQ announced that the price of the card is P370, of which P300 is a "documentary fee" and P70 is a "convenience fee."

Meanwhile, the government has announced that a working group, spearheaded by the Department of Information and Communication Technology, is working on developing a digital vaccination certificate with a target launch of next month. The system would require local government units to upload the names of everyone they have vaccinated to the centralized database in order that that requests for the digital vaccination certificate (which would presumably be in QR code form) can be cross-checked.

BoQ Deputy Director Roberto Salvador Jr. said DFA would coordinate with other governments in order that that the "official vaccination certificates" would be accepted internationally.

There is so much wrong with this entire story that it is difficult to know where to begin. We would like answers to some key questions such as:

- Why did the government, which cannot be unaware that the Philippines has a large population of overseas workers, fail to consider the need for an internationally acceptable vaccine certification when its own vaccination campaign began in March?

- The "yellow card" is accepted as a record of vaccinations of any type by all 196 member countries of the WHO, which includes both the Philippines and Hong Kong. So, what exactly did the DFA have to negotiate in order for OFWs presenting one to be admitted there?

- Because it is quite commonly used and accepted everywhere, the WHO provides blank copies of the official yellow card to virtually any government or organization that requests them at little to no cost. What, then, is the basis of the P300-"documentation fee" and P70-"convenience fee" being charged to people who request one from the BoQ? [Not a financial issue for most expats but could be to poorer locals].

- Given that there is already a uniform, internationally recognized vaccine record available, why does the government feel it needs to reinvent the wheel to produce a "digital vaccination certificate," which will require further work on the part of the DFA on a country-by-country basis in order to ensure its acceptance?

- Would it not be easier and more cost-effective to simply distribute a corresponding number of yellow cards to local government units or other vaccine centers to be given to citizens as an "official vaccination certificate" once they have received the required doses?

Managing the pandemic and the vaccination drive has been difficult enough due to circumstances the government has no control over. Creating needless obstacles on its own is foolish and an unfair imposition on an already pandemic-weary population.

What do you say Mr @andiflip ?

[Btw, I also pose the question: 'Why did they need to retest and recheck everything here when countries with brilliant scientists had already tested them in their countries?' And where are they going to build their new 'Virus Institute'? FAR FAR FAR away from human and animal populations I hope!].

 

Hong kong not going to accept either of the two Chinese vaccines

 

Here's the list, it includes Chinese vaccines.
https://www.coronavirus.gov.hk/pdf/list_of_recognised_covid19_vaccines.pdf

 

wait n see

 

is this your opinion or do you have sources to validate this statement ?

 

In order to obtain a yellow card, one must make an appointment at the BoQ, the nearest office for us would be in Cebu.
Very smart (NOT), cause extra travel and quarantaine issues just for people to get a vaccination card, pfffft.

 

A great Catch-22 would be that people have to go to Cebu to get a yellow card BUT are not allowed into Cebu unless they HAVE a yellow card. Not impossible!

 

Same sh*t for 13A visa, must make personal appearance at Cebu BI.
Roll up roll up come and get your Covid here.
They fired all the clowns, now idiots running the circus

 

Highly likely i would say

 

You ol' sceptic you! (Note: I did not say 'old')