Vaccine Passports For International Travel: Everything You Need to Know About

There is an idea being mooted at a global scale of introducing vaccine passports. These are nothing but an updated version of the 'yellow card', a WHO-approved booklet that documents your past inoculations. It is formally known as an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.

With lakhs of people getting vaccinated for Covid-19 every day, some business and political heads suggest that countries can get back to normal quickly with the help of something called a vaccine passport.

A vaccine passport is an easily verifiable and accessible certificate that shows that a person has been treated with a vaccine. Private companies are already eyeing at making injections mandatory for people boarding on planes, cruise ships or attend big events like concerts. Some projects from private firms, international associations, and governments are underway. However, the idea of forming vaccine passports raises ethical and scientific dilemmas.

The idea behind vaccine passports is to prevent the spread of Coronavirus

Currently, multiple countries and airlines want proof that international travellers aren’t infected with SARS-CoV-2. However, regulations differ from place to place, and so far, having vaccinated is not a systematic requirement. Seeing the prevalence, devastation, and contagiousness of Covid-19, people are considering the need for a more modern, secure, and digital record like a vaccine passport. It would provide a proof of your vaccination status and display your recent virus test results. This will, in turn, reassure border agents and safeguard co-travellers.

Certain institutions are already considering a need for proof of vaccination

A few companies have begun hinting that eventually, they will require proof of vaccination, which is supposed to become a more common practice. UK based Saga Cruises, a major early victim of the pandemic, requires its passengers to present proof of being fully vaccinated before sailing. Australian airline, Qantas Airways Ltd., also plans to make international travellers entering or leaving Australia to show proof of vaccination before boarding their planes. Ticketmaster, a live event ticket seller, explores options that show proof of inoculation for event organisers who may want inoculated attendees.

The indications of limited vaccine supply mean that yellow cards won’t be available to all

The entry requirements regarding yellow cards would neglect the majority of the world’s populace as the major population around the world has no access to Covid vaccines so far. Vaccine passports may create a vaccinated global elite while worsening inequalities and creating an underclass that would be denied services and border crossing. The virus has already disproportionately affected people who work without formal jobs.

In what other ways can border officials use vaccine passports?

Vaccine passports can be used to loosen up rules that hinder certain travellers, requiring them to test negative and compelling them to quarantine on arrival. Physicians from many countries have proposed to allow people who have completed a full course of Covid vaccination to travel freely for a specific period, until more is known about the duration of inoculation.

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