Will carefree holidays soon be possible?
We all want a little more normality in our lives again - and that includes traveling. The coronavirus vaccination certificate could be a first step in this direction - despite pandemic. The heads of state and government of the EU member states are already pushing for the rapid introduction of such a vaccination card.
All 27 European member states of the government agree: they want to significantly intensify the fight against the corona pandemic. This includes, among other things, the introduction of a vaccination certificate, which should enable carefree travel. The southern EU states in particular, such as Greece, Portugal and Spain, but Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia and Slovakia had also pushed for the rapid introduction of such a "green vaccination card". The European vaccination card will primarily benefit tourism, which is an important element for the economy.
It will take up to three months before the technical requirements for the pass have been clarified. The idea is to develop software that can be stored on a smartphone and accessed at any time from anywhere using a QR code. The ID card should state whether and with which vaccine a carrier has been immunized or whether they have had a Covid-19 infection and therefore have antibodies or when they last underwent a PCR test. Anyone who can prove that they are not at risk of infection should be able to move around Europe more freely.
The details are to be discussed at the next EU summit in mid-March. On the one hand, it is still not clear to scientists whether immunized people could still be virus carriers or what the situation is with mutated viruses. Secondly, what the exact border controls or quarantine measures for vaccinated people will look like in general. It is also unclear whether the majority of the population will actually be fully vaccinated by then.
Asia is already one step ahead of us. A digital vaccination certificate for travelers has been available in China since March 8, 2021. The WeChat online service displays users' vaccination certification and test results. Using a QR code, other countries can also read the user's data when they enter the country. However, this document, which is also available in paper form, is currently only valid for Chinese citizens.
Picture CreditsJan Vašek / Pixabay, Tobias Rehbein / Pixabay; Benny19007 Pixabay
