Vaccine passports: path back to normality or problem in the making?

By Natalie Thomas

 

FILE PHOTO: Vials with AstraZeneca's coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine are seen at the vaccination centre in the Newcastle Eagles Community Arena, in Newcastle upon Tyne, Britain, January 30, 2021. REUTERS/Lee Smith

 

LONDON (Reuters) - Governments and developers around the world are exploring the potential use of "vaccine passports" as a way of reopening the economy by identifying those protected against the coronavirus.

 

Those developing the technologies however, say such tools come with consequences such as potentially excluding whole groups from social participation, and are urging lawmakers to think seriously about how they are used.

 

The travel and entertainment industries, which have struggled to operate at a profit while imposing social distancing regulations, are particularly interested in a way of swiftly checking who has protection.

 

Among those developing passports are biometrics company iProov and cyber security firm Mvine which have built a vaccine pass now being tested within Britain's National Health Service after receiving UK government funding.

 

iProov founder and chief executive Andrew Bud believes such vaccine passports only really need to hold two pieces of information.

"One is, has this person been vaccinated? And the other is, what does this person look like?"

 

You need only match a face to a vaccination status, you don't need to know a person's identity, he added.

 

Confirmation of patrons' vaccination status could help the night-time economy, which employs some 420,000 people in the northern English city of Manchester, off its knees, experts say.

 

"We have to look at how to get back to normal," said Sacha Lord, an industry adviser and co-founder of the city's Parklife music festival.

 

While there have been experiments in socially distanced concerts and events over the last year, they weren't financially viable, he said.

 

"A gig isn't a gig or a festival isn't a festival unless you are stood shoulder to shoulder with your friends.

 

"I don't think we should be forcing people into the vaccine passports. It should be a choice. But on entry, if you don't have that passport, then we will give you another option," he added, suggesting the use of rapid result coronavirus tests.

 

Bud said vaccine certificates were being rolled out in some countries, and in the United Sates, some private sector health passes were being used to admit customers to sports events.

 

"I think vaccine certificates raise huge social and political issues. Our job is to provide the technology basis for making vaccine passports and certificates possible ... It is not our place to make judgments about whether they are a good idea or not," he said.

 

Potential issues could arise around discrimination, privilege and exclusion of the younger generation who would be last in line to be vaccinated, he said, adding he believed government was giving it careful consideration.

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2021-02-04

 

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If this happens (which I doubt) then it won't happen for years, will be some half arsed private enterprise and largely not  backed by the governments of the world.

 

By the time everyone agreed on some international standard which covers all sorts of different vaccines COVID will be a non issue.

 

We're talking about the entire EU, the US and many other countries all agreeing on some common system - they might as well just give up on the idea now.

 

16 minutes ago, ukrules said:

By the time everyone agreed on some international standard which covers all sorts of different vaccines COVID will be a non issue.

 

The "smart" bit of an electronic passport is a global standard. I'll bet there's enough space to include a "vaccinated" flag and a date, maybe a "vaccine type" too.

 

Of course that means writing to an essentially read-only device, maybe it would work, maybe not.

 

24 minutes ago, snoop1130 said:

as a way of reopening the economy by identifying those protected against the coronavirus

that is NOT what those vaccines do

1 hour ago, YetAnother said:

that is NOT what those vaccines do

NO. It's not sure whether they do or not. But, preliminary indications are that at least the Astra Zeneca vaccine may strongly lessen the rate of transmission

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may cut spread of virus

This is the first time that a coronavirus vaccine has shown it may reduce the spread of the virus.

https://www.livescience.com/astrazeneca-oxford-coronavirus-vaccine-cuts-transmission.html

In fact, it would be pretty surprising if it turns out that any one of them doesn't slow transmission. It's just not proven yet.

Nothing new with vaccination passport /documents. I can remember back in the 50 -70s you could not travel overseas from or to many countries without proof of vaccination against a number of communicable diseases.

I still have mine along with the passport from those days. Why all the objections and fuss I don't know, with todays technology it should be easier to make them fool proof and safe. We can learn from history.

Can I use my LINE QR code as authorization?  ????

And as mutations continually develop, just how many vaccines will you need to put in your "passport?"

15 hours ago, placeholder said:

NO. It's not sure whether they do or not. But, preliminary indications are that at least the Astra Zeneca vaccine may strongly lessen the rate of transmission

AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine may cut spread of virus

This is the first time that a coronavirus vaccine has shown it may reduce the spread of the virus.

 

In fact, it would be pretty surprising if it turns out that any one of them doesn't slow transmission. It's just not proven yet.

So basically a wealth of no idea but 100% sure its all good eh?

 

All righty then ????

7 minutes ago, meechai said:

So basically a wealth of no idea but 100% sure its all good eh?

 

All righty then ????

There are virtually no 100% certainties in science. If you want 100% certainty, best stick to conspiracy theory websites - they're often 100% sure about stuff.

Wish I had the magic idea that could open up travel perhaps this idea will help btw I got my first jab of the moderna today no reaction yet not even a sore arm and the nurse was cute!

1 hour ago, meechai said:

So basically a wealth of no idea but 100% sure its all good eh?

 

All righty then ????

Nonsense. They already have strong indications that it is effective at reducing transmission. Results from Israel strongly back that up.

No.  People would use this as proof that they're safe, but they wouldn't be, they could still transmit the virus.

 

20 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

exploring the potential use of "vaccine passports"

 Interesting, but not, I believe, a new idea. I still possess  my UK "British Airways Health Passport" first issued to me in 1997 to record my vaccinations against rabies, hepatitis A, typhoid, polio and tetanus.

21 hours ago, ukrules said:

If this happens (which I doubt) then it won't happen for years, will be some half arsed private enterprise and largely not  backed by the governments of the world.

 

By the time everyone agreed on some international standard which covers all sorts of different vaccines COVID will be a non issue.

 

We're talking about the entire EU, the US and many other countries all agreeing on some common system - they might as well just give up on the idea now.

 

Estonia is working on an updated "digital" WHO vaccination card. This matter should be managed by governments, and these private ad hoc solutions will only help to the extent that they contribute useful technological innovations.

 

This Covid may last longer than you think, and subsequent epidemics will be around forever, so such a WHO card should have all vaccinations recorded. The idea is to prevent an epidemic from becoming a pandemic. 

5 hours ago, ChakaKhan said:

Can I use my LINE QR code as authorization?  ????

Doubtful, but a QR code should be very useful if used on Estonia's WHO card project.

4 hours ago, John Drake said:

And as mutations continually develop, just how many vaccines will you need to put in your "passport?"

It would make sense that the WHO card work in conjunction with a database that will have up to date data on all vaccines, such as how long their vaccinations continue to protect, filtered by age of vaccinee. When other vaccinations, boosters, are given the card would be updated.

18 minutes ago, placnx said:

This Covid may last longer than you think

 

Unlikely as I'm pretty sure COVID will be around forever

 

 

 

 

8 minutes ago, ukrules said:

 

Unlikely as I'm pretty sure COVID will be around forever

 

 

 

 

You are quite possibly correct, since it will take big resources to conquer. US and others would have to identify the preferred vaccine platforms and build big production facilities so that the world can be vaccinated much more rapidly. The speed of mutation and emergence of "improved" variants is frightening. 

Passports can be faked. Stands to reason the new addition could be too. What then?

Going to be a hot commodity in some circles, that's for sure.

Or put it otherwise, it relies on officials worldwide, and in a wide range of countries and cultures being beyond taking that envelope.

There is only going to be one " Vaccine Passport " that will become a viable option Globally.

Love it , or hate it the only option will be for an under the skin Micro Chip.

There are too many reasons to do this , including the fact that it cannot be transferred, or copied so easily, and its quick to read for immigration Staff.

Of course, the details it carries will have to be ironed out, but there really is only a need for Name Nationality Vaccine applied and its Date/s 

4 hours ago, Morch said:

Passports can be faked. Stands to reason the new addition could be too. What then?

Going to be a hot commodity in some circles, that's for sure.

Or put it otherwise, it relies on officials worldwide, and in a wide range of countries and cultures being beyond taking that envelope.

You are right about these vaccine passports that were shown in mock up. However, an effective card would work by having a QR code unique to the individual which could be read at check-in, immigration and would bring up the vaccine record on the national database where their vaccination is recorded. If the vaccination was out of date, etc, this would also be signaled, so appropriate decisions could be taken, such as requiring test(s) on the spot.

 

Actually the QR code could be read when booking a flight, so that the passenger could get a booster or whatever before travel, if needed.

3 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

There is only going to be one " Vaccine Passport " that will become a viable option Globally.

Love it , or hate it the only option will be for an under the skin Micro Chip.

There are too many reasons to do this , including the fact that it cannot be transferred, or copied so easily, and its quick to read for immigration Staff.

Of course, the details it carries will have to be ironed out, but there really is only a need for Name Nationality Vaccine applied and its Date/s 

Can this chip under the skin be updated?

25 minutes ago, placnx said:

You are right about these vaccine passports that were shown in mock up. However, an effective card would work by having a QR code unique to the individual which could be read at check-in, immigration and would bring up the vaccine record on the national database where their vaccination is recorded. If the vaccination was out of date, etc, this would also be signaled, so appropriate decisions could be taken, such as requiring test(s) on the spot.

 

Actually the QR code could be read when booking a flight, so that the passenger could get a booster or whatever before travel, if needed.

 

One thing I've learned about security measures, codes and whatnot, is to expect them to be breached etc.

20 hours ago, Paul Henry said:

Nothing new with vaccination passport /documents. I can remember back in the 50 -70s you could not travel overseas from or to many countries without proof of vaccination against a number of communicable diseases.

I still have mine along with the passport from those days. Why all the objections and fuss I don't know, with todays technology it should be easier to make them fool proof and safe. We can learn from history.

I seem to remember it was inoculations for things like cholera,  yellow fever, typhoid. Your doctor would complete slips of paper which you kept in your passport. 

You had to present these at check-in. 

No papers,  no flight.

3 hours ago, Lancelot01 said:

I seem to remember it was inoculations for things like cholera,  yellow fever, typhoid. Your doctor would complete slips of paper which you kept in your passport. 

You had to present these at check-in. 

No papers,  no flight.

Ive still got mine from back in 2006 when i went to machu picchu...yellow 3 fold card...ahh the golden days.."papers please".....welcome to the digital days-- Domo Arigato Mr Roboto ????

CDC in the US has a card that is issued by the Hospital issuing the vaccinations, hand written documentation. Here is what my mothers looks like.

15 hours ago, Morch said:

 

One thing I've learned about security measures, codes and whatnot, is to expect them to be breached etc.

If for example a card is being used by someone other than the person associated with its QR code, it will show as soon as the QR code is scanned.

15 hours ago, placnx said:

Can this chip under the skin be updated?

OTA like everything else.......

10 minutes ago, UncleMhee said:

OTA like everything else.......

To be clear, I was asking whether the data in the chip under someone's skin could be updated. Please clarify.