There is a new mobile app that New Yorkers pull out to prove that they have been vaccinated for COVID-19. The state-funded app is called the Excelsior Pass, which is planned to be used for events with large gatherings, like concerts and sporting events. Each app user will have a QR code that event organizers will scan to determine whether their guest has been vaccinated or not. Built on IBM’s health pass platform, this digital pass is forgery-proof with data linking from medical facilities. Additionally, user’s information is protected from establishments to ensure data privacy.
The Excelsior Pass is just one of the few mobile apps currently available to function as vaccine passports. The goal of these passes is to digitize international travelers of vaccination certifications, coronavirus test results, and other health documents that are required for travels. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is developing another app called IATA Travel Pass to provide their passengers a platform to upload their official tests and vaccination certificates necessary for their itinerary. About 20 airlines have already been preparing to incorporate the IATA Travel Pass with their passengers’ travel requirements. These airlines include Emirates, Virgin Atlantic, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, ANA, Qantas Airlines, and Korean Air. IATA hopes that their travel pass will support governments, laboratories, and travelers to streamline travel requirements and limit the need for quarantine if passengers can provide enough proof of their health quality.
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Other passengers from the United States have been using CommonPass since December 2020 to verify their coronavirus tests for flights coming in from New York, London, and Hong Kong with United Airlines, JetBlue, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, and Swiss International. In Asia, Singapore and Malaysia rolled out their own Health Passports accepted by both countries for entry. And for EU countries, a Digital Green Pass is currently in the works.
While it is still early to determine when exactly Vaccine Passports will become a universal travel requirement for domestic and international travelers, the industry predicts that this can take full effect only when countries have successfully vaccinated most of their population—which may take until the second quarter of 2022. However, health experts also weigh that immunity after receiving the vaccine is still unclear. It is still unknown if recipients can carry the virus even without showing any symptoms. For this reason, the World Health Organization currently does not recommend Vaccine Passports and insists health authorities continue enforcing safety protocols.
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