Concerns on international flights may be addressed as a COVID-19 passport is being finalized.
International travels are quite a headache during this pandemic, as various safety measures are being implemented to prevent the virus's spread. To begin the hassle for passengers and crew is to prove they are not virus carriers through testing. All of that, while the vaccine is not yet available.
Currently, taking an RT-PCR test or real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction test is the first requirement to permit travel with or without quarantine measures. The second is the wearing of a personal protective equipment suit or PPE, especially for long hauls. And soon, a vaccine.
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However, the future of flying during a pandemic may soon change as a digital COVID-19 passport might soon be proceeding. It means everyone planning to fly will soon be asked to carry a digital passport showing proof of testing and COVID-19 vaccine dosage.
According to the International Air Transport Association or IATA's latest report, it is now in the progression of concluding a digital COVID-19 passport that would include data about a traveler's COVID-19 testing and vaccine shots. Labs, airlines, and government agencies would confirm it.
CEO of IATA, Alexandre de Juniac, said in a statement, "Testing is the first key to enable international travel without quarantine measures. The second key is the global information infrastructure needed to securely manage, share, and verify test data matched with traveler identities in compliance with border control requirements." He further explained that "We are bringing this to market in the coming months to also meet the needs of the various travel bubbles and public health corridors that are starting operation."
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No administrations have enforced yet, a prerequisite for voyagers to get immunized before entering another country. This while the vaccine is still undergoing clinical testing. However, Alan Joyce, the CEO of Qantas, an Australian airline, has stated his intentions for the carrier to require vaccinations ahead of international travel.
"We are looking at changing our terms and conditions to say for international travelers that we will ask people to have a vaccination before they can get on the aircraft," Qantas CEO said.
Representatives for both Air New Zealand and Korean Air have said that the airlines may eventually necessitate passengers to get a vaccine jab to fly. Many airlines share the same opinion.
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Meanwhile, notwithstanding the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) caution against visiting friends and relatives during the Thanksgiving holiday, millions of Americans traveled. On Sunday, Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, uttered her concern about a surge in COVID-19 cases after holiday travel and went on to advise Americans to get tested following Thanksgiving gatherings.
The first to broadcast the update on the development of the digital COVID-19 passport was The Hill. The electronic passport must outline a health itinerary of sorts that would identify testing facilities, laboratories, authorized vaccine distributors for travelers at their place of departure, and guarantee passengers are covid free while on travel to their destination.
