Air Passengers Should Get Vaccinated Against Covid-19 – NRK Urix – Foreign News and Documentaries

Chief Executive Officer Alan Joyce says the first instance requirement applies to flights in and out of Australia.

Joyce tells CNN that she thinks other airlines will follow suit.

“It is an absolutely necessary requirement for travelers entering and leaving Australia when the vaccine is ready,” Joyce told Australian Nine News, which is affiliated with CNN.

“If you need a vaccine before a domestic trip, we will have to consider it,” Joyce said.

Examine vaccination certificates for covid-19

According to the Norwegian Institute of Public Health (NIPH), it is not very relevant to have a vaccine requirement for Norwegian aircraft.

But FHI points out that Norwegian airlines are privately owned and therefore are can exclude passengers who believe they may endanger safety.

– But I think this will have little relevance, since it will be a long time before the majority of the population is vaccinated. We hope that airlines and authorities will cooperate when, and if, such vaccination certificates are introduced in Norway, says FHI chief physician Preben Aavitsland.

According to Aavitsland, the EU and the World Health Organization (WHO) are working to study a system of international vaccination certificates for covid-19.

– It also cooperates with the airline organization IATA, which works to reduce the risk of infection during flights. Perhaps it will eventually become an international system used by all countries and airlines, he says.

Norwegian: – We need all the measures.

NRK has checked with Norwegian airlines SAS and Norwegian if a vaccination requirement for passengers is something they are considering introducing.

– We are in close dialogue with the health authorities about what measures are relevant to limit the infection as much as possible. The experience of the last 10 months with the coronary pandemic shows how important it is to coordinate with the rest of the aeronautical industry and with the health authorities. We need all the measures that can get international aviation back on its wings, says Norwegian press officer Andreas Hjørnholm.

SAS responds that as of today they have no concrete plans to introduce a vaccination requirement for their passengers.

– At the moment, there are a number of initiatives underway in aviation in order to harmonize various restrictions, tests and other measures. Vaccination is currently a major issue that concerns all cross-border mobility and not just aviation, writes SAS press officer John Eckhoff.

Country closed

In practice, Australia has been closed to foreign nationals since March to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Australia has also introduced restrictions on the number of citizens allowed to return from abroad each week.

As a result, tens of thousands of Australians have been stranded abroad.

Also at the national level between the states of the country, the borders have been closed for shorter and longer periods.

Qantas’ top executive is convinced that other companies will follow suit.

– I think the vaccine is becoming a common requirement around the world, says Joyce after speaking with colleagues from other countries.

Electronic vaccination certificates have been viewed by various governments and airlines around the world as a kind of passport.

Skepticism about vaccine requirements

But not everyone believes that there is a legal basis for claiming a vaccine, writes CNN.

Many wonder if a country has a mandate to implement such a requirement.

Air New Zealand reports that the company is encouraged by the vaccine news.

However, the airline emphasizes that it is the government who decides when and how it will be safe to reopen the borders. The company will continue to work closely with the authorities.

An Air Asia spokesperson says that as soon as a vaccine is ready, the company will consider whether it should meet the vaccine’s requirements on international routes.

Considering your own “passport” with vaccine information

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has opened up to the country opening so-called travel bubbles with other countries that have managed to limit the spread of the infection.

The country will probably not be open to international travel until a vaccine is widely available.

IATA, which represents airlines globally, says they are developing a digital “IATA travel passport.”

This travel passport can also include information about the vaccine. This can be an important contribution to reopening the borders between countries.

200 of Qantas planes were grounded due to the pandemic and 8,500 employees were laid off.