Vaccination cards can now be used as pass for local travel 

Still wondering how you’ll get around after you’ve completed your COVID-19 shots? The government says that your vaccination card can be used as a valid travel pass for local destinations. 

The vaccination card serves as a valid document to meet travel requirements for those fully vaccinated against COVID-19

Under the protocols of Resolution No. 124-5 issued by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), fully vaccinated individuals no longer need to submit a swab test result for travels within the Philippines. Their vaccination cards will be sufficient as a documentary requirement.

According to Presidential and IATF-EID spokesperson Harry Roque, fully vaccinated individuals are defined as those who have had at least two weeks after receiving the second dose of a two-dose vaccine, and those who have had at least two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. Half or incomplete vaccine doses do not count. 

Only vaccines authorized by the government will be recognized

He adds that the administered vaccines should be those that are included in the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) List or Compassionate Special Permit (CSP) issued by the Philippine Food and Drug Administration, or Emergency Use Listing of the World Health Organization (WHO). Vaccines that do not meet these requirements will not be considered. 

Intrazonal movement, or travel to areas within the same quarantine classification, will continue to be allowed. For senior citizens, they only need to present either a vaccination card duly issued by a legitimate vaccinating establishment, or a certificate of quarantine completion showing the holder’s vaccination status as issued by the Bureau of Quarantine. 

As for interzonal movement or travel to areas with a different quarantine classification, Roque said that the vaccination card should be enough to meet any testing requirement imposed by the local government of the intended destination. However, arriving travelers will still need to undergo health and exposure screening. 

Everyone should carry their vaccination cards at all times, especially senior citizens

Quarantine periods will also be shortened to seven days for fully vaccinated individuals who are close contacts of probable and confirmed COVID-19 cases, under IATF-EID Resolution 124-B. This applies only if they remain asymptomatic within the one-week period. 

Swab tests, should they be required, will be done after the fifth day from the date of last exposure. Mandatory testing and isolation protocols will be followed if the test returns a positive result, or if the individual becomes symptomatic.   
 
President Rodrigo Duterte has approved the extension of the general community quarantine or GCQ status in NCR Plus (Metro Manila, Bulacan, Cavite, Rizal, and Laguna) until July 15. The following areas will be under GCQ until the end of July: 

• Baguio City
• Apayao
• City of Santiago
• Isabela
• Nueva Vizcaya
• Quirino
• Batangas
• Quezon
• Guimaras
• Aklan
• Bacolod City
• Negros Occidental
• Antique
• Capiz
• Zamboanga Sibugay
• City of Zamboanga
• Iligan City
• General Santos City
• Sultan Kudarat
• Sarangani
• Cotabato
• South Cotabato
• Agusan del Norte
• Surigao del Norte
• Agusan del Sur 
• Cotabato City

Meanwhile, the following areas will be under modified enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) until July 15: 

• Cagayan 
• Bataan
• Lucena City
• Puerto Princesa
• Naga City
• Iloilo City
• Iloilo province
• Negros Oriental
• Zamboanga del Sur
• Zamboanga del Norte
• Cagayan de Oro
• Davao region
• Butuan City
• Dinagat Islands
• Surigao del Sur

The rest of the country will be placed under modified general community quarantine or MGCQ.

Catch more mobility updates here at Philkotse.com.