Int’l pact to standardize COVID-19 vaccination certificates pushed

A public school teacher receives Sinovac’s COVID-19 vaccine in Manila in this file photo taken on April 13, 2021. INQUIRER/GRIG C. MONTEGRANDE

MANILA, Philippines — There must be an international agreement standardizing COVID-19 vaccination certificates to easily determine its authenticity, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Monday.

Roque made the suggestion after a government policy shortening to seven days the quarantine period for Filipinos returning from abroad who were fully vaccinated in the Philippines drew flak.

“Ang problema po kasi, wala pa po tayong kasunduan sa buong daigdig kung paano natin maveverify yung authenticity ng mga vaccination card sa buong daigdig,” Roque said during the symbolic vaccination of economic frontliners at a mall in Pasay City.

(The problem is we don’t have an international agreement on how to verify the authenticity of vaccination cards issued by the various nations.)

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque (Screengrab from RTVM)

“Ang personal kong pananaw baka kinakailangan magkaroon ng isang international na kasunduan kung saan dapat magkaroon ng standard na vaccination certificate ng sa ganun hindi po problema ang pag-authenticate kung totoo o peke yung vaccination card,” he added.

(My personal view is perhaps there has to be an international agreement wherein there will be a standard vaccination certificate so that the process of authenticating the vaccination card will not be a problem.)

The government’s COVID-19 task force has yet to issue a policy for foreign nationals or Filipinos who were vaccinated abroad.

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