THE Philippine government is looking at using QR Codes instead of plain cards as proof of full vaccination.
According to Cabinet Secretary Karlo Nograles, they are seriously considering consolidating a variation of systems being used by local government units to be able to come up with a common digital ID as proof of an individual’s vaccination against COVID-19.
Nograles said that the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is already working on a “common vaccination digital ID with QR code” for Filipinos.
“What we want really is a QR code, digital…The digital vaccination ID card will be very important,” Nograles said in a televised interview.
To date, local government units in the country are issuing cards to individuals who get inoculated with COVID-19 vaccines. The card contains information on the brand of vaccine used, how many doses the person has received and when it was given. The cards vary per city and municipality.
Interestingly, the Philippines is among several countries that asked the World Health Organization to come up with a standard protocol for a digital “common vaccine passport.”
Nograles said the interagency task force on COVID-19 is discussing “what advantages or what sort of incentives or new protocols” will be observed for fully vaccinated individuals. Among the incentives being floated is the waiving of RT-PCR tests for tourist trips, he said.
The task force is also monitoring how other countries are doing vaccine passports. A small group headed by the Department of Foreign Affairs has also been tapped to look into ways how the government can verify the vaccination of those coming in from abroad, he said.
They are expected to present their proposal within the week.
The Philippines still bans travelers from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, United Arab Emirates, and Oman this month as it aims to keep out the Delta variant of COVID-19.
As of Sunday, the Philippines has a total of 1,359,015 coronavirus infections, with 57,679 active cases. Death toll now stands at 23,621.
The country is also rolling out vaccination, with 14 million doses already arriving. Some eight million doses have been administered. Of this figure, two million individuals have completed the required two doses.