admin Countries around the world are looking at a host of options that will serve as proof of Covid-19 vaccinations to allow travel, though airports, border agencies and airlines are worried there will be no clear global standard that will be accepted at all borders. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced that Britain plans to use a National Health Service phone app as its Covid-19 ‘vaccine passport’ certificate that will allow its population to travel internationally this summer.
Loopholes in the Idea of Vaccine Passports
So-called vaccine passports could range from a digital certificate with a scannable QR code in the European Union, to a National Health Service (NHS) phone app in the United Kingdom, or a humble piece of paper in some other countries. Besides concerns over issuance, forgery and the repeated failure of government-backed technology projects, it was still unclear how such documents would be received by notoriously zealous border guards across the world.
Specifics for Britain
“In terms of vaccine certification, I can confirm… it will be an NHS app that is used for people when they book appointments with the NHS and so on to be able to show that you’ve had a vaccine or that you’ve had testing,” asserted Transport Secretary Shapps. “And I’m working internationally with partners across the world, to make sure that that system can be internationally recognized,” he also added.
Airlines, which were brought to the edge of insolvency by the Covid-19 pandemic, are desperate for flights to resume as lockdown restrictions ease, so that they can earn some money from the northern hemisphere’s summer holiday season. British tourists are among the highest-spending European tourists, so their ability to travel is key for the economies of southern Europe.
Stated Timeline
Britain has earmarked May 17th, 2021 as being the earliest date when international travel would be allowed for non-essential reasons following a winter lockdown. Airlines and airports have said any vaccine passport will need to be digital, to avoid delays during customs clearance or the boarding of flights caused by checks of paperwork. However, it is not clear how countries will recognize different systems: the global airline industry body IATA is launching a digital travel pass for Covid-19 test results and vaccine certificates, while the European Union is launching a bloc-wide system.
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