Although many borders of the world remain closed to tourism because of pandemic, various companies and organizations are working to create a “Covid Passport”: that is, a digital document that allows you to check your health with the government in any country you want to visit. The idea is that, in this way, the international tourism industry recovers little by little.
International Air Transport Association (THERE IT IS, for its acronym in English) just announced that Covid Passport, appointed Travel Pass, will come to America in March. Specifically, the Panamanian government and the airline Copa Airlines (of Panamanian origin) will participate in an initial testing phase.
Other airlines around the world such as Etihad (United Arab Emirates), Emirates, Air New Zealand or Qatar Airways have started their tests. By the way, in August 2020 Etihad became the first airline to request PCR testing of all its passengers around the world.
Photo: IATA
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How is the Travel Pass
When used internationally, Travel Pass It will come as a free app for Android or iPhone. In it you can store data from passport and results Covid testing to make your trip abroad easier.
THERE IT IS presented four key advantages of it digital passport.
1. Governments can more easily verify authenticity Covid-19 tests presented by international travelers. This leaves little room for fraud or confusion.
2. Airlines shall also access this platform to verify the authenticity of the evidence. Countries like the United States are currently asking your airline to check you Test Covid before boarding. The company also has the opportunity to share information about the restrictions you should consider.
3. Authorized laboratories may issue digital certificates in a standard manner. There is no need to consult more lists than you can find here and there is no problem with languages.
4. Speed up your passage through airports and immigration filters, without the need to use paper or have multiple contacts. However, there will be paper alternatives for travelers who do not have a telephone.
Finally, it could work with vaccine information.
The international association has clarified that the application will use data encryption, so that only the information that the traveler decides to be shared with governments and airlines.
Photo: IATA
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The CommonPass
As I said at the beginning of this note, there are several organizations working on digital platforms that would serve as justice Covid passport worldwide.
CommonPass is another project, it is a collaboration between the Swiss organization Commons Project Foundation and the World Economic Forum.
This application generates a QR code when the traveler in question meets the requirements to visit a country; allows governments to add their own criteria (such as a specific laboratory or additional questionnaire, for example) to approve tourist entry.
Read more: CommonPass, the Covid passport that has already started testing in the US