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Will there be vaccination passports in the United States for the summer?

2021-03-16T01:04:38.799Z


There are already plans to introduce ways to certify coronavirus vaccination by countries and companies.


By John Torres, MD - NBC News

After receiving both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, I put my appointment card in a safe.

As chief instructor for NATO special forces training, I will have to show my

vaccination status

before traveling to

NATO

headquarters in Belgium, probably this summer, once face-to-face training processes resume.

But my vaccination certificate, issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), will not actually be sufficient to show that I am already vaccinated, particularly for international travel.

This type of certificate is

too easy to forge

.

[Will you get a 'passport' when you get the coronavirus vaccine?

For your company, go to the movies, the train and the plane ...]

With more than 335 million doses of the COVID-19 vaccine administered worldwide so far, according to data from the World Health Organization, the race to develop a "vaccination passport" against COVID-19 is on.

While planning my trip to NATO, I soon realized that such an official form is not yet available in the United States, and it may not be anytime soon.

The vaccination passports that could determine what people can and cannot do are accompanied by

many ethical considerations

.

Vaccines are not yet accessible worldwide and people would be divided into "haves" and "have-nots."

Earlier this week, Dr. Mike Ryan, director of the World Health Organization's emergency program, said using vaccination certification as a requirement for travel "is not recommended."

[Plan your vaccine: Find out with our new tool where to get vaccinated]

There are already documents that prove vaccination against yellow fever.

I have used one of them for years to travel to Colombia, Ecuador or anywhere in the world as needed.

Countries such as Iceland, Poland, Portugal and Cyprus have already announced plans to implement vaccination certificates. 

The European Union hopes to present a "digital green passport", which will

combine information

on vaccination, recovery from the disease and the results of a screening test for people who are not yet fully vaccinated, possibly as soon as this week.

Qantas airline has begun its first customer trial of a digital health app called CommonPass, which allows people to upload negative results of their coronavirus tests or vaccination certificates for international flights.

The United States is a long way from that.

Currently, the CDC discourages nonessential travel.

A spokesman for the agency said that "a guide on handling vaccinated people during the trip has not yet been issued, and there are no established international standards regarding vaccines or vaccination documents."

These are the CDC's recommendations for people vaccinated against COVID-19

March 8, 202102: 42

The travel issue is expected to

enter the next CDC guide

, but the spokesperson did not say if it is expected to be released in time for the summer.

[California launches an app to track the contagion of the coronavirus]

Some states provide COVID-19 vaccination certificates, but consistency is lacking and obtaining them

can be a cumbersome process

See some example: 

  • Colorado, where I was vaccinated, requires a notarized form to be emailed along with a copy of your driver's license.

  • California, which has administered at least 11 million doses as of Friday, has a system for checking vaccination status, but "it is for providers to use and not for the general public," according to Darrel Ng, senior adviser for communications in the state task force on COVID-19. 

  • The Florida Department of Health responded by email noting: "Individuals can obtain a copy of their immunization records through their County Health Department or local Private Provider." 

  • Given the high rate of "vaccine tourism" Florida faced earlier this year, it is unclear what someone who has been vaccinated in Florida but is not a resident there could do. 

  • The New York State Department of Health did not respond to multiple requests.

There are companies in the United States that develop vaccine certificates for smartphone applications.

The idea is that when you fly into a country, scan the application at border control.

If your vaccination status or negative screening result is validated, you can avoid quarantine in the country of arrival.

If you don't have such a pass, you may need to self-quarantine,

probably for 14 days at your expense

[Follow our coverage on the coronavirus pandemic]

Tech company IBM is working on a "digital health pass" that uses blockchain technology for security and authentication.

That system will include vaccination status or test results for people who have not been vaccinated, spokeswoman Carolyn Castel said.

The plan is for the Government, through the Department of Health and Human Services, CDC or state health departments, to upload the verified vaccine data on the digital health pass.

Castel declined to say when it would be available.

[Can I stop wearing the mask after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine?]

For now, CDC vaccination certificates are the best option we have

.

In the future, when COVID-19 vaccines become widely available, it is likely that some kind of vaccination certificate or passport will be needed, not only to travel abroad, but possibly even to participate in sporting events, go to the theater, book a hotel or take a trip on a cruise ship.

John Torres is a medical contributor to NBC News, Telemundo's sister network. 

Source: telemundo

All news articles on 2021-03-16

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