Solon questions issuance of vaccine certificate aside from yellow card

The issuance of a separate COVID-19 vaccination certificate aside from the yellow card that is already recognized in most other countries was questioned during a congressional inquiry on Friday.

Nueva Ecija Representative Estrellita Suansing asked about the difference between the yellow card or the International Certificate of Vaccination and Prophylaxis (ICVP) and the VaxCertPH that is set to be fully implemented in October.

"Kasi it was mentioned na 'yung yellow card is already internationally-recognized and ang kailangan lang talaga is depende doon sa country," Suansing asked.

(It was mentioned that yellow card is already internationally recognized and that it only depends on the country of destination)

"If a yellow card is already recognized internationally, then bakit meron pang VaxCertPH? So is VaxCertPH a support to yellow card kasi ano ‘to? Mawawala na ang yellow card, kasi sabi ni Director Tayag i-synchronize daw ang yellow card sa VaxCertPH? Medyo naguguluhan ako, ano ba talaga? " she added.

(If the yellow card is already recognized internationally, why there's a need to issue VaxCertPH? Is VaxCertPH a support to the yellow card?)

Department of Information and Communications Technology Undersecretary Emmanuel Caintic explained that it is still necessary to issue a separate vaccination certificate as there are additional details that need to be included in there.

"Bago nagka-COVID-19... is yellow card. So 196 countries, yellow card ‘yan (for) yellow fever, measles, and whatever... Ang komplikado po kasi sa COVID-19, kailangan niya ng datos na may first dose, second dose, anong brand, kailan tinurok," Caintic explained.

(Before the pandemic, the yellow card is already being used. What's complicated in COVID-19 is that data on the first dose, second dose, and the brand of vaccine must be included.)

"So may mga dagdag na variances, the date, the time, the brand, saan tinurok. Kung kaya ang World Health, gumawa sila ng bagong standard na kailangan sila maging digital," he added.

(There are additional variances so the World Health Organization also created a new standard that is digital.)

Caintic said other countries have already recognized the two documents.

"Habang ipino-propagate pa lang po ang paggamit sa ibang bansa, kailangan you have to recognize both. I think the countries also recognize (both) so for now... dalawa muna,” Caintic said.

(While it is still being propagated, there is a need to recognize both.)

VaxCertPH, developed by the DICT and the Department of Health, relies on the data submitted by LGUs through the Vaccine Information Management System (VIMS).

It is a portal for the issuance of COVID-19 vaccination certificates to fully vaccinated individuals.

On the other hand, the yellow card is a document issued by the Bureau of Quarantine, indicating the vaccines taken by an individual which he/she can present to his/her country of destination.

It has already been recognized by all the 196 signatory countries of the World Health Organization. — DVM, GMA News