While we don’t know all the specifics just yet, it could be possible that getting the cov!d vaccine before traveling depending on the situation would be seemingly mandatory as traveling without it would likely be much harder and stressful. Now that vaccines are starting to roll out questions like this are coming up, and we’re not yet too sure where they are going.
While this concept might be quite alarming to some, a lot of people think it is a good idea as it would help keep the spread of this virus down as people begin to travel more and more like they perhaps used to do. It would be a much more efficient way of allowing those who travel a lot to get their lives back in that sense. However, the idea of needing a specific passport that proves you’ve taken the vaccine sounds silly to a lot of people.
CNN Business wrote as follows on this topic:
Now that coronavirus vaccines are starting to roll out in the US and abroad, many people may be dreaming of the day when they can travel, shop, and go to the movies again. But in order to do those activities, you may eventually need something in addition to the vaccine: a vaccine passport application.
Several companies and technology groups have begun developing smartphone apps or systems for individuals to upload details of their Covid-19 tests and vaccinations, creating digital credentials that could be shown in order to enter concert venues, stadiums, movie theaters, offices, or even countries.
The Common Trust Network, an initiative by Geneva-based nonprofit The Commons Project and the World Economic Forum, has partnered with several airlines including Cathay Pacific, JetBlue, Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, United Airlines, and Virgin Atlantic, as well as hundreds of health systems across the United States and the government of Aruba.
The CommonPass app created by the group allows users to upload medical data such as a Covid-19 test result or, eventually, a proof of vaccination by a hospital or medical professional, generating a health certificate or pass in the form of a QR code that can be shown to authorities without revealing sensitive information. For travel, the app lists health pass requirements at the points of departure and arrival based on your itinerary.
“You can be tested every time you cross a border. You cannot be vaccinated every time you cross a border,” Thomas Crampton, chief marketing and communications officer for The Commons Project, told CNN Business. He stressed the need for a simple and easily transferable set of credentials, or a “digital yellow card,” referring to the paper document generally issued as proof of vaccination.
As noted above we don’t know how this kind of thing will play out but we do know that being able to keep up with who got what vaccine and in which country is important for everyone overall. We need to make sure that all the information coming from all countries is interpretable and easy to get through. That having been said, only time will tell just how strict things get in this regard.
WFLA wrote as follows going over this further as well:
“The purpose of CommonPass and the Common Trust Network is to enable safer airline and cross border travel by giving both travellers and governments confidence in each traveller’s verified COVID-19 status.”
This isn’t the only digital COVID-19 pass that we could see in the near future.
IBM has also created its Digital Health Pass, which is designed to provide organizations with a way to bring people back into workplaces, schools, stadiums, and flights.
According to IBM, “the solution is designed to enable organizations to verify health credentials for employees, customers and visitors entering their site based on criteria specified by the organization.”
They added that the “the digital wallet” can allow individuals to keep control over their information and share it securely.
Linux Public Health has begun deploying two COVID-19 exposure apps — COVID Green and COVID Shield — in Canada, Ireland and multiple states, including Colorado and Wisconsin.
Apple and Google previously co-created “exposure notification” technology to alert phone users if they spent time near someone who tests positive for the coronavirus.
Different countries will have different requirements for who can come in when it comes to this kind of thing and only time will tell how we are able to move forward with travel as we’ve noted before. What do you think about all of this? I for one think it is quite interesting.