International air travel with proof of vaccinations
The Solomon Islands realizes that it must at some point open up its international borders or suffer the continuing decline in its national economy.
To achieve the desired opening up and, hopefully the return of international travellers, hitherto one of the main sources of government revenue, ideally the numbers of people in the country must reach 80 percent of more with a double vaccination against Covid-19 – a figure the government is working hard to see attained.
When the borders eventually do re-open, I greatly expect that so called COVID-19 passports will be in use and play a part in global travel.
Air New Zealand and QANTAS have both announced no jabs- no flights – policies in recent weeks.
The EU is already conforming such plans for passengers for cruise lines and likely for air passengers.
Proving you're vaccinated to travel abroad isn't a new concept -- some countries have required yellow fever vaccines for years -- but doing so for COVID-19 would be on a far grander scale than ever before.
Currently, a few businesses and organizations are working to create passports. One is the International Air Transport Association, a trade group based in Montreal that represents 290 airlines worldwide. The IATA is developing an app called Travel Pass that would let users upload documentation to prove vaccination status. It would also allow passengers to check health entry requirements for countries they plan to visit and find COVID testing centers -- either before they leave for a trip or upon arrival. Eventually, the Travel Pass could incorporate biometric information, such as a thumbprint or facial recognition, to prove a person's identity.
The IATA says 23 airlines, including Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and the parent company of British Airways, are testing Travel Pass. The organization says airlines would have the option of integrating the data into their own apps. IBM has a Digital Health Pass, which enables "organizations to verify health credentials for employees, customers and visitors entering their site based on criteria specified by the organization."
I have been impressed by how the Solomon Islands has so readily adapted to digital and technology changes brought about by the “new normal “and easily switched to communicating by ‘zoom’ for international conference calls and meetings and is advancing digital technology for industry and the workplace and so remain hopeful that if COVID-19 Passports have to be incorporated for international air travel from and to the Solomon Islands the challenges posed to such to their introduction and use can be readily overcome.
Yours sincerely
Frank Short
