Get Answers  →   COVID-19   employer   worker  

Can domestic helpers get vaccines in the Philippines before coming to Hong Kong? What is the COVID-19 situation there?

# resources  

This is a rapidly changing situation. We will do our best to keep this article updated. Please go to the main sources for the most updated information.

Filipino workers who are bound for deployment within the next four months are now in the top priority category, A1, for vaccines in the Philippines. (ABS-CBN, 28 May 2021). Domestic helpers should be able to register and receive vaccines as part of the top priority group.

Can domestic helpers choose which vaccine they take in the Philippines?

The Philippine government has announced that Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) will be given the vaccine brand required by their country of destination. (Inquirer, 18 June 2021)

However, in practice, each Local Government Unit (LGU) will have different registration processes (See below). It is important to check what vaccines are being available and to request for it. Some LGUs are running low on supplies.

See the official advisory: NTF Advisory 53 (14 June 2021)

Take the vaccine recognised in Hong Kong:

These are the vaccines currently recognised by Hong Kong. Make sure to take a vaccine that manufactured by those listed below:

• AstraZeneca / SK Bioscience: AstraZeneca COVID-19 Vaccine, Vaxzevria, COVID-19 Vaccine (ChAdOx1-S [recombinant]), AZD1222
• BioNTech: Comirnaty, 復必泰, Tozinameran – COVID-19 mRNA vaccine (nucleoside modified), Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, BNT162b2
• Anhui Zhifei Longcom Biopharmaceutical:重組新型冠狀病毒疫苗(CHO 细胞) 3, 智克威得, ZF2001
• CanSinoBIO: Recombinant COVID-19 Vaccine (Adenovirus Type-5-Vectored Vaccine), 重組新型冠狀病毒疫苗(5 型腺病毒載體), Convidecia 克威莎
• Johnson & Johnson: Janssen: Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine, 强生新冠疫苗, Janssen Ad26.COV2.S (COVID-19) vaccine 楊森, Ad26.COV2.S (COVID-19)疫苗
• Moderna: Moderna COVID‑19 Vaccine, 莫德納 COVID-19 疫苗, mRNA-1273 vaccine
• Serum Institute of India: Covishield, ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 Corona Virus Vaccine (Recombinant), AZD1222
• Sinopharm / Beijing Institute of Biological Products: COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗(Vero 細胞), BBIBP-CorV 眾愛可維, COVID-19-i 新冠疫苗(Vero 細胞), SARS-COV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗(Vero 細胞),COVID-19 Vaccine 新型冠狀病毒疫苗
• Sinopharm / Wuhan Institute of Biological Products: COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗(Vero 細胞), WIBP-CorV 眾康可維
• Sinovac: CoronaVac 克爾來福, COVID-19 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗 (Vero 細胞)
• The Gamaleya National Center of Epidemiology and Microbiology: Sputnik V
• Shenzhen Kangtai Biological Products: SARS-COV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗 (Vero 細胞), 可維克
• Institute of Medical Biology Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences: SARS-COV-2 Vaccine (Vero Cell), Inactivated 新型冠狀病毒滅活疫苗 (Vero 細胞), 科維福

(Last updated on 29 June 2021: coronavirus.gov.hk)

Can Vaccinated domestic helpers come to Hong Kong from the Philippines?:

If the domestic helper was fully vaccinated in Hong Kong and is now returning from the Philippines, they will be able to enter Hong Kong.  They must have their Hong Kong vaccination certificate as the recognized vaccination record. 

If the domestic helper was fully vaccinated in the Philippines, please see the latest update announced on 22 August:Can domestic helpers from the Philippines and Indonesia travel to Hong Kong?

If the domestic helper was fully vaccinated in the Philippines, they must have the following:

• Yellow Card issued by the Bureau of Quarantine
• VaxCertPH issued by the Department of Health

Note: Starting from 12 August 2022, the arrangement of “recognised vaccination records” is no longer applicable. Relevant persons arriving at Hong Kong are only required to present vaccination record meeting the above requirements.

How Overseas Filipino Workers can register for the vaccine in the Philippines

1.Register for the Vaccination

Each Local Government Unit of each province will have different systems to designate vaccinations.

1. Go to the Department of Health website on vaccines: https://doh.gov.ph/vaccines.
2. Click the link to button to register for vaccines.

1. It will take you to a Directory on Google Slides: Directory. Click the link to the correct vaccine registration site.
2. Vaccinations should be taken at the area of residence only.
3. Follow instructions on the local vaccination site.

2. At the Vaccination Site

• a. Overseas Employment Contract or
• b. Seaman’s Book

The Second Dose

Warning: Only take Vaccines from Authorised Sources:

Vaccination Rates and Supply in the Philippines

• Philippines still needs 42.6 million COVID-19 vaccines to fill demand (CNN Philippines, 29 July)
• See: COVID-19 Vaccination Tracker CBS Philippines.

COVID-19 Situation in the Philippines

• Community Quarantines by Province for August 2021: https://www.facebook.com/ntfcovid19ph/photos/a.104441587885110/361245258871407/
• Philippines confirms 7,186 add’l COVID-19 cases, highest in over a month (27 July) 
• Strictest Community Quarantine Level in Metro Manila Area from 6-20 August (ABS-CBN, 30 July 2021)
• See: COVID-19 Tracker Department of Health Philippines

You may also like:

• Quick guide for Employers of Domestic Helpers
• COVID-19 updates affecting domestic helpers & employers
• FAQs on the Covid-19 vaccine programme for domestic helpers
• How can domestic helpers get a visa extension?
• Do I need domestic helper insurance during employment?
• Do I have to pay for a domestic helper’s medical expenses?
• Signup for the Fair Bulletin: Monthly newsletter from Fair Agency
• Follow us on: Facebook and Instagram

• If you found this article helpful, please consider donating today.
• Fair Employment Agency is a nonprofit agency. We put a lot of work into producing high quality, accurate and updated information resources because when employers and domestic helpers are informed, they are empowered to make good choices.
• If you found this article helpful, please consider donating to support us through Fair Employment Foundation, a registered section 88 charity in Hong Kong, which builds social businesses (like us!) to make migrant recruitment fair to workers & fair to employers.

• Click HERE for all donation methods.