When we plan trips, part of our pre-travel preparations are making sure we have all the requirements our destination country asks for. Sometimes these are documents like visa, but other times, vaccines. And in this article, we’ll give you a step-by-step guide on how you can get yellow fever and polio vaccines along with the ICV or International Certificate of Vaccination.
Recently, we had to get these vaccines in preparation for a trip to South Africa. And while these vaccines are not required to enter South Africa if you’re coming directly from the Philippines, the yellow fever vaccine is required if you’re coming from or transiting in a country within the yellow fever belt. You can find the list of countries with risk of yellow fever transmission and countries requiring yellow fever vaccination in this publication of the World Health Organization. We had to get vaccinated since our Africa trip would include a visit to Kenya first before heading to South Africa.
If you’re also traveling to a country that requires yellow fever or polio vaccine soon, just follow this guide on how you can get your vaccines and ICV.
What is an ICV?
The International Certificate of Vaccination (ICV), sometimes called the yellow card is a document with records of an individual’s vaccinations required to travel abroad. Is is recognized by countries that are members of the World Health Organization. This serves as a proof of vaccination, but note that not all countries require ICV. It’s best to double check the requirements of your destination country to avoid wasting your time and money.
How to Get Yellow Fever and Polio Vaccines
1. Create an account on the BOQ website.
If you haven’t gotten an ICV before, your first step is to create an account on the Bureau of Quarantine (BOQ) website.
On the homepage, click “Sign Up”. Then, agree to the terms and enter your email address.
Tap “Verify” and follow the steps after that.
Already have a yellow card before but no account yet?
Don’t worry! You can retrieve your record. Here’s how:
- Step 1: On the homepage, click “Login”.
- Step 2: Tap the yellow button that says “No Account yet but already have Yellow Card? Login using your name and ICV serial number.”
- Step 3: Enter your name (first name, middle name, and last name) and ICV number.
- Step 4: You’ll then need to enter your personal details and upload a valid government ID like passport or UMID.
2. Schedule an appointment.
After creating an account, your next step is to schedule an appointment. On the dashboard, click Vaccination Services icon under the BOQ Services.
On the next page, you will be shown the available vaccines that the BOQ administer. Usually, yellow fever and polio vaccines are available. Sometimes, mumps vaccine is also offered. However, there are also times when no vaccine is available. So if you’re in need of a vaccination, just check every now and then for the availability. The prices are also indicated here. Select which vaccine you need and click “Next”.
On the next page, choose a BOQ location and site. Below is the list of BOQ locations and the BOQ sites under them:
NCR
- Manila Main Office
- Manila – Robinsons
- Mall of Asia (MOA)
- North Edsa
- Eastwood
- McKinley
- Ayala Malls Fairview Terraces
- 81 Mall Newport
Luzon
- Bataan
- Batangas
- Pampanga
- La Union
- Subic – Quay Global
- Laoag
- Tabaco
- Palawan – Main
- SM Palawan
- Tuguegarao
Visayas
- Cebu Main
- Cebu – Robinsons Galleria
- Bohol
- Iloilo
- Bacolod
- Kalibo
- Tacloban
- Dumaguete
Mindanao
- Davao
- Cagayan de Oro
- General Santos
- Zamboanga
Once you choose a BOQ site, you will find its address and contact information. You will also see a calendar below. Just choose a date that’s best for you.
The dates highlighted in GREEN are available, while the ones highlighted in RED are fully booked. If a calendar does not show, it means that there are no available vaccine on that site yet. Vaccines are subject to availability at each BOQ site, so make sure to check the ones that are accessible to you.
Click the date you chose and a pop-up will appear. This is where you can choose the time you prefer. It will also tell you how many slots are available in each time slot.
If you’re booking for the yellow fever vaccine, note that there’s a chance for your schedule to be canceled if they don’t reach 10 patients on your appointment date. If this is the case, the system will ask you to reschedule. Otherwise, you will receive a confirmation for your appointment right away.
3. Confirm your details.
After choosing your vaccine schedule, the next page will show all your details. Make sure they are correct.
When you scroll down, you’ll see a screening checklist with questions about your health. Just select your answer for each question and click “Next”.
Then, you’ll see a preview of your ICV card. Double check all the information. If everything is correct, click “Next”.
4. Pay the fees.
The final step to confirm your vaccination schedule is to settle the payment. You can pay using your credit/debit card, cash, mobile wallet, and online banking. If you want to pay with cash, you can do so at their authorized payment centers like 7Eleven, LBC, Family Mart, and Cebuana Lhuiller.
Whichever payment method you choose, they’ll have detailed instructions you can follow. Note that aside from the cost of the vaccine, there’s also an additional convenience fee and DST fee.
5. Save the QR code.
Once your payment is confirmed, you will get a QR code for your appointment. Just save this by taking a screenshot on your mobile device.
6. Get your vaccine.
On the day of your schedule, go to your chosen BOQ site. Make sure to have your QR code and passport with you. They will check these when you get to the site. If you already have an ICV card, you can bring it to your appointment as well. If you don’t have one yet, they will issue a new one for you.
After getting your vaccine, just wait for your ICV to be released. Make sure to check your name and passport number on the card before you leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should I wear to my vaccination appointment?
The vaccine will be administered on your upper arm, so make sure to wear something that you can roll up the sleeves easily. They also have this infographic on the proper attire with a note saying that wearing shorts is not allowed.
Can I get the yellow fever and polio vaccine at the same time?
Yes! These two vaccines can be administered at the same time, which we did. However, if you’re getting other vaccines, make sure to consult the BOQ first if it would be okay to get them at the same time.
If I renew my passport, would I need a new ICV?
That depends on you. You can choose to have the vaccine recorded on your existing ICV or you could opt to have a new ICV issued instead. Just remember that if you use your existing ICV, you need to bring your old passport when you travel because the officers refer to the passport number to verify the ICV.
You also have the option to have your previous vaccine records transferred to a new ICV. However, you would need to make a separate appointment for ICV issuance to be able to do this.
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