Here's the latest on Vaccine Passports

The original idea of vaccine passports appeared months ago, and it’s safe to say that many people around the world did not seem to believe that Covid will even be a thing by now. Unfortunately, some of the grim predictions came true, and it appears that we all have to learn how to cope with this new situation.

It was imminent that international travel will become a thing sooner rather than later, and vaccine passports are now to be put in place in many countries around the world, in an attempt to speed up the protocols that passengers encounter when trying to leave their state.

What is the current status of Covid passports and are they going to become a thing globally? Let’s find out.

Vaccine cards are already in use

In the United States, people are already being issued a paper certificate that serves as proof of vaccination. These Covid vaccination cards can serve as a Covid passport when traveling abroad. Owning a piece of paper that can be used as proof of vaccination is much more reliable than relying strictly on a digital certificate, or at least that is what many people are more comfortable with.

This certificate contains all of the important information, such as the date when a person received a vaccine, the name of the clinic where the administration took place, and of course, the type of vaccine that a person received. While these documents are in use already, they are not internationally standardized yet. When and if is that going to happen remains an open question.

European Union uses Digital Green Pass Certificates

Countries of the European Union worked hard in order to find a solution that works for all, out of sheer necessity, as many residents travel from one country to another often, due to personal and business-related issues. That is why they started implementing Covid passports early on, as 7 countries started to issue these certificates back in June.

Thus far, there is a list of approved vaccines in place, but it is expected for this list to be expanded as progress is being made with new technologies. Travelers from the countries of the European Union are also allowed to travel in case they have recently recovered from Covid, due to the existence of antibodies that remain in the system once the person recovers from the viral infection. These certificates are issued at least 11 days after receiving a positive test and can be valid up to 6 months following this period.

The data will be automatically connected to the passport

The good thing about living in an era dominated by digital data is the practicality of having all of the necessary information with you just a few clicks away. This eliminates the need for excessive paperwork and having to wait in long lines just to get a piece of paper that is so vital.

When it comes to vaccine passports, many of the same rules are applied. The data from a vaccination certificate will be directly connected to your passport number, and with just one quick QR code scan, all members of the airport staff will be able to access all the data, which should significantly speed up the check-in protocols.

Governments around the world have to decide on supported vaccines

In order for vaccine passports to truly become a thing globally, one major hurdle still need to be cleared. It includes the joint approval of the most used types of vaccines. Still, although it might sound simple at first, this process is pretty delicate.

Because some types of vaccines use different technologies than others, where ones are being based on RNA and others on the use of dead virus cells, governments are having a tough time coming up with a list of approved vaccines that works for everyone. Still, because this is in everyone’s interest, we have no doubt that a general consensus will be reached sometime in the future.