If you want to travel next year, you may need a vaccine passport.  Attending concerts, traveling, going to the movies and other activities that have been stopped by the pandemic are now on the horizon as the coronavirus vaccine is being distributed across the world. 

Yes, there is a long, dark winter ahead with a record number of new cases and deaths expected, coupled with a more infectious strain of the virus that’s emerged in Europe, but for the first time since the beginning of the pandemic hope is on the horizon.  

Since the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, health and travel officials have looked to vaccinations as the way back to unrestricted travel. Now, since a vaccine has become available in the United States, two apps have emerged that aim to verify travelers’ inoculation. These apps serve as verification for required test results and health waivers — with one expanding to five airlines’ U.S. routes this month.

Several companies and technology groups are developing apps or systems for people to upload their Covid-19 test results and vaccination data straight to their devices. These digital credentials could be shown in order to attend activities, such as concerts, sporting events and movie theaters. They could also be required to enter offices or countries.

A vaccine passport is also called a health passport. Vaccine passports are mainly intended for international travel. They have so far taken form as free mobile apps where travelers upload their verified coronavirus test results and, eventually, proof of a vaccination. Two main options for a vaccine passport exist so far, and others are in development.  

Mandatory vaccinations for travel isn’t a new concept. But the app is a high-tech version of the yellow immunization card tucked into passports to show proof of yellow fever vaccination that is required in many countries.   

CommonPass, a health pass created by the nonprofit Commons Project, has been in trial use internationally since October on United and Cathay Pacific flights between New York, London, Singapore, and Hong Kong. CommonPass plans to expand its services in December. The program operates through Apple’s Health app on iOS and CommonHealth for Android, and it has already been connected to 230 U.S. health systems. It functions as a scannable QR code that holds a passenger’s test data or vaccine documentation as well as travel plans. CommonPass also has a focus on protecting travelers’ personal information.  

Another app in development by the International Air Transport Association, is the IATA Travel Pass and is expected to launch in early 2021. The mobile pass will be available for Apple users and will be rolled out to Android users later. In addition to holding a passenger’s testing, vaccine and health-waiver documentation, the IATA app will provide travelers with a registry of health requirements and testing/vaccination centers.

It is important to note that it is not an “immunity passport.” This is because it is still unclear how long immunity lasts after recovering from the virus or after receiving a vaccine. It is also unclear if recipients of vaccines can carry and spread the virus without experiencing symptoms themselves. The passport app will show who has been vaccinated but may not guarantee safety from exposure to the virus.

With vaccines manufactured by multiple companies across several countries in varying stages of development, there are a lot of variables that passport makers will need to account for.

One of the biggest problems with using proof of immunology to cross borders is that vaccines could vary from country to country. Your point of entry, whether that's a border or a venue is going to want to know, did you get the Pfizer vaccine, did you get the Russian vaccine, or did you get the Chinese vaccine. The variance can be wide because different vaccines have difference efficacies. For example, the vaccine developed by Chinese state-owned pharmaceutical giant Sinopharm, has an efficacy of 86% against Covid-19, while the vaccines made by Pfizer and Moderna each have an efficacy of around 95%.

So, while a vaccine passport app will show that you've received the shot, it may not be a guarantee that you can safely attend an event or even get on a flight.  If we get vaccinated and continue to follow safety guidelines and take precautions going forward, even after getting vaccinated, we’ll be that much closer to ending the current crisis for good.

So, how do you feel about taking the vaccine and getting a vaccine passport? Let me know in the comments. 

Cynthia Amin-Hall
Colesville Travel
Email:  cindy@colesvilletravel.com
Website:  www.colesvilletravel.com
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