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France is the first country to draft a law on “green vaccine passports” that give the vaccinated population and those who test negative for the corona virus access to public transportation, restaurants, cultural institutions and other public places.
It is not surprising that France broke the ice with such an initiative, because recent research shows that the French are very skeptical about vaccination and that only about 40% of citizens are ready to get vaccinated.
This news, as expected, caused a real storm among the country’s anti-vaxers and far-rightists, who say they will not allow the unvaccinated French to be “second-class citizens.”
However, the idea of a “passport vaccine” is being spoken more and more loudly in the rest of the world. With mass vaccinations beginning in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, and in a planned few days in the European Union, for the first time in nearly a year, the world is beginning to wait for the pandemic to finally come to an end.
But the vaccine will not alleviate the effects that the corona has left in our lives overnight. It will take months, maybe years, for the vaccine to reach everyone. During that time, the virus will loosen its grip, but it will not go away. The conversation has now turned to how we will move through that transition period.
In many European countries and around the world, measures against the crown have violated freedom of movement. For example, passengers crossing international borders face mandatory quarantines, access to public areas and entertainment venues is restricted.
Mass vaccination programs are expected to end these restrictions, but in the meantime, opting for the vaccine means a “ticket to freedom.” Refusing the vaccine means prolonging the agony of the blockade.
Mixed messages
The concept of “immunity passports” emerged in the early stages of the pandemic to allow people believed to be immune to the circular crown freely in society.
However, the official messages about the validity of these digital “immunity passports” or “vaccine passports” are currently a bit confusing. The World Health Organization (WHO) itself sent mixed messages.
In a briefing on December 4, Dr. Catherine Smallwood, a senior emergency officer at WHO’s European branch, confirmed the agency’s current guidelines on “vaccine passports” for cross-border travel.
– We do not recommend “vaccine passports” or tests as a means of preventing border crossings. What we recommend is that countries look at streaming data both within and outside their borders and tailor their travel guidelines to people accordingly, he said.
Paradoxically, the WHO signed an agreement with Estonia in October to cooperate in the advancement and development of a digital vaccination certificate, an old “smart yellow card” used as confirmation of the yellow fever vaccine. vaccinate to eventually gain herd immunity and lift pandemic restrictions.
However, the “vaccine passport” is already becoming a mainstream idea. In late November, Australian airline Kantas became one of the first airlines to publicly announce that it will only allow vaccinated passengers on its flights in the future.
To make it easier, tech companies have already started working on digital health passports.
In the UK, the National Health Service (NHS) will issue a certificate to each resident who receives the vaccine. The information on the card will contain the type of vaccine, the lot number and the date of application. This information will be recorded in the NHS database.
However, for now, these cards will not be necessary for international travel or to enter bars and restaurants. The government will continue to consider this option in the coming months, and many other countries have announced the same.
Ethical dilemmas
Experts estimate that acquiring herd immunity requires a high acceptance rate for the vaccine in society, at least 70 percent. If that does not happen, the experts will probably face a serious problem, one of whose most likely solutions will be the introduction of a “passport vaccine.”
Many would agree that the anti-vaccines and all those who, out of their own illusions or selfishness, consciously choose not to receive the vaccine later, have no right to appeal when they are denied access to a public transport, restaurant, party or concert.
However, the vaccination program is in the earliest phase and it is not yet known what awaits us until the end. Therefore, there is a possibility that future “vaccine passports” will discriminate against groups that have problems getting the vaccine, those who cannot get vaccinated due to existing diseases, or simply those who simply will not have enough money. or equal access to the vaccine.
There are those who express legitimate concerns about the possible misuse of personal data and privacy.
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