London: The World Health Organisation says individuals should not be required to show they’ve been vaccinated against COVID-19 in order to travel abroad, warning that vaccine passports would isolate poorer nations.
Dr. Mike Ryan, who leads WHO’s public health emergencies program, mentioned it was very important to record that an individual had been vaccinated, however, mentioned using that data to permit or prohibit an individual from taking part in regular life raised complex, ethical issues.
“This is a complex issue … There are ethical issues regarding equity, we already have a huge issue with vaccine equity in the world,” Dr. Ryan told a virtual news conference from WHO’s headquarters in Geneva.
“The imposition of requirements for certification of vaccination before travel could introduce another layer or such inequity.
“If you don’t have entry to a vaccine within the nation then you’ll successfully become isolated as a country as vaccine passports kick in.
“So there are many, many, many issues.”
However, Dr. Ryan mentioned WHO officials had only temporarily recommended vaccine passports for international travel. The organization would reconsider the issue at a meeting on April 15.
He mentioned one other group of officials would study the ethical, social, and scientific data regarding vaccine passports.
Australia has begun preparations for an international vaccine passport, however, it’s not required when quarantine-free travel between New Zealand and Australia resumes on April 18 due to the nations’ COVID-free status.
Qantas CEO Alan Joyce has previously mentioned the Australian airline will insist on vaccination as a condition of boarding and that such a requirement could be included within the firm’s terms and conditions when booking a ticket. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) mentioned at the time that a compulsory vaccination stance was “premature;” IATA has developed a trial app or digital health go where a passenger’s verified vaccination and testing records can be stored.
The US, Britain, and UK have all mentioned they will not make vaccinations mandatory.
A furious debate about vaccine passports is underway in Britain where three in 5 adults have already been vaccinated, causing the nation’s coronavirus infections and related deaths to collapse to their lowest levels since last summer.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has mentioned Britons could be required to show either proof of immunity to COVID-19, vaccination, or an adverse test result in order to attend mass gatherings, with the economy to be fully reopened by July.
His spokesperson has not ruled out their use for activities like shopping, saying they “could have an important role to play both domestically and internationally, in terms of allowing individuals to move back to something more close to normal”.
The Biden administration has not endorsed a national vaccine passport and mentioned it will be a matter for the states.