2020 gave the world a clear glimpse of our fragile situation, and how a small change can impact us, including our travel plans. COVID-19 took the world by storm and may lead to the need for a vaccine passport for travel to resume in full.
After a 365-day battle with the virus by using masks, enhanced sanitization methods, and maintaining social distance, many countries have curbed the impact. And we are still in a state where people are getting vaccinated, but the world has not come to a standstill.
People travel far and wide, and in an attempt to keep people safe, countries are thinking of a vaccine passport that would help identify who has received a vaccination. That being said, the idea hasn’t seen acceptance from everyone. That may change as vaccines continue to roll out.
The World Health Organization’s booklet could be a feasible, and workable, option. Some places have strict rules at this time, including a 100-day mask mandate by the 46th President of the United States, Joe Biden. If one considers this, then the vaccine passport may be a great idea.
A vaccine passport could help make travel easier in a post-Covid world.
Facilitating Travel – No one wants to create more hassle while traveling, and a lot of countries are already asking for proof that confirms you are not infected. With the vaccine passport in place, one wouldn’t have to carry those documents and get validated everywhere.
IATA Pass – The IATA Pass will help generate a digital code based on your submitted documents and give authorities a clear picture of your medical condition. It would also help tourism-related companies in different countries as they will be sure that anyone visiting is relatively healthy.
Creates Awareness – Travel is an important method of generating revenue. The vaccine passport could help countries who are highly reliant on tourism dollars as well as the airlines and the hospitality business by building confidence in travel, again.
Keeping all of the potential benefits in mind, several concerns about the vaccine passport concept have been raised. Most notably, while more investigation is needed to finalize the process and procedures, a vaccine passport is potentially a win-win for all at the end of the day. If you haven’t applied for a vaccine passport in your country and one is available, check into it and find out if it will work for you.