Filipino travelers can get free COVID-19 vaccine at San Francisco Int’l Airport

FILE PHOTO: A vial and syringe are seen in front of a displayed Johnson&Johnson logo in this illustration taken January 11, 2021. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo

MANILA, Philippines — Filipino travelers arriving at and departing from the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) in California, USA, can now get a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for free.

In a statement on Tuesday, the SFO management said qualified individuals, which now include Filipinos, can get the Janssen (Johnson&Johnson) single-dose vaccine at the SFO medical clinic from Mondays to Fridays, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

To become eligible for the free vaccine, passengers must be at least 18 years old and have no previous history of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine by a different manufacturer.

SFO said those who have received any monoclonal antibodies or convalescent plasma to treat COVID-19 are also advised to wait at least 90 days before getting the vaccine to avoid interfering with previous treatments.

Meanwhile, those severely or immediately allergic to any ingredient of the vaccine are likewise strongly advised not to receive the shot to avoid complications.

Interested passengers are encouraged to book an appointment prior to their flight to SFO. Walk-ins may be accepted, but will be on a first-come, first-served basis, the management said.

To make an appointment and to learn more about SFO’s free vaccination program and requirements, passengers may visit https://www.flysfo.com/travel-well/vaccination-site-sfo.

“This is part of SFO’s efforts to enable passengers to travel well and safely amid the pandemic,” it said in a statement.

KGA